


The Family That Slays Together

by AestheticAcoustic



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Serial Killers, Anal Sex, Choking, Cults, Danvid, Forced Orgasm, Handcuffs, Happy Ending, Happy Murder Family, M/M, Multiple Orgasms, Murder, Murder Husbands, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Prostate Massage, Prostate Milking, Religious Fanaticism, Rimming, Romance, Rough Sex, Serial Killers, brief scenes of attempted rape/pedophilia, but those assholes get whats coming to them, dadvid, good dads, theres a lot of fluff in this for a serial killer au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2018-12-08 15:53:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 27
Words: 106,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11649828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AestheticAcoustic/pseuds/AestheticAcoustic
Summary: David is a good guy, and he does his best to keep his murderous desires under wraps. He takes it out on animals, rather than people, no matter how much he'd like to hurt a human for once. Then, Daniel comes along. With sweet words and promises of a free life, doing whatever they please, together, David can't help but follow. They hop from city to city, camp to camp, killing and converting. Daniel likes to preach, but if his listeners won't choose ascension the easy way, then they achieve it the hard way; at David's hands.No one is safe, until they make it to a camp with a spunky kid who isn't going to go as quietly as his campmates. David could kill him, but maybe it would be useful to keep Max with them. Afterall, people trusted kids more than adults, and Max isn't squeamish about luring people to their demise. They make a great team, and eventually a great family. They make their way back to Daniel's home town, where they can live safely. But, everything isn't always perfect, and sometimes paradise is just an illusion...





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a prologue to give David a quick backstory. The rest of the chapters will be longer and more detailed. 
> 
> IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE TORTURE/KILLING OF ANIMALS- skip this chapter and continue with the rest of the story.

It started with the barn cats. More specifically, a group of brand new kittens. “We can’t keep those around,” his father had said, “too many mouths to feed and they distract Cat from killing the mice.” He gathered all the kittens when Cat did finally go off to hunt. Wrapped in a towel, he carried them into the woods on the edge of the farm.

David tagged along. He wasn’t sure why. Curiosity, maybe, though he already knew what was going to happen. His older brother had told him about it before. They had to get rid of the kittens, and their father would do it as humanely as possible.

Five gunshots later, there was nothing left but a few headless bodies and a lot of blood. David stared at it, transfixed. “Are they dead now?” His sweet voice and cute face made him look oh-so very innocent.

“Yep, they’re dead now.” His father nodded. The burly man smiled and patted his young son on the head. “You’re a tough, boy Davy. Your brother screamed the first time he came with me to do this, and he was older than you are now!”

David smiled, elated to have his father’s praise.

### 

Within a week, there were more kittens. Seven, courtesy of Cat. The _other_ Cat. All of the barn cats and wild cats were called Cat. They weren’t pets, after all, just hunters to keep the mice out of the hay bales.

“Can I do it this time?” David asked sweetly as his father grabbed a gun. 

The man smiled broadly at him. “Well, well! My little Man! I’m certainly glad one of my boys’ll make me proud!”

From the living room, Jonathan barely spared a glance over the couch, then returned to sketching in his new sketchpad. It was all he’d asked for for his 12th birthday, and despite their father’s avid protests, their mother had bought it for him, along with some nice drawing pencils. 

His father grabbed a smaller gun, along with a large, sharp knife, and they headed out. Same as before, they wrapped the kittens in a towel and carried them to the woods. Father laid them out side-by-side and handed David the hand gun. “Aim for the heads. Try not to miss, or it’ll just hurt them.”

David took aim, being careful to keep his arm steady. He didn’t want to disappoint his father. It was a good thing they’d done some target practice together before. 

The first shot left a splatter of blood across the ground. The little grey kitten was missing a good chunk of it’s head.

David’s heart was pounding. He smiled.

### 

Two and a half weeks later there was a third and final set of kittens. Just three. David found them first. He bundled them up in his shirt and took them far out into the woods. This time, he used a sharp pocket knife. He didn’t kill them quickly like his father would have wanted. He wanted to hear them make noise and feel their bodies squirm.

When he was done, he buried them in a shallow hole and rolled a big rock on top. He washed the knife in the creek and went home. His heart was racing and his smile was unwavering.

### 

Third grade started that Fall. The other kids were weary of him, as always. David had never really known why, but he thought perhaps they were somehow aware of how bad he could really be. His mother always said ‘kill them with kindness’ though, and that’s what he did. Always smiling, always joking, always so very, very friendly. By the end of the year he’d made a few friends he thought he could visit over the summer and continue to be pals with next year. Maybe he’d even show them what he did to the kittens…

Maybe not.

### 

The summer after fourth grade, his father took them both hunting for the first time. Jonathan had always refused to go, but with David old enough and so eager to go, Jon had been forced to come with them. He stayed silent in the backseat, his arms crossed and eyes gazing out the window.

David bounced in the front seat, overjoyed. This was going to be the _best_ trip _ever_!

The entire two hour ride, their father told them hunting stories and spoke excitedly about how eager he was to share this with them. A bonding experience, father to sons.

Jon was apathetic. David’s small body could barely contain his excitement.

They arrived at a small lodge, with room for about six people, max. Their father took one room, and Jon and David shared another. 

Neither were able to sleep that night, for very different reasons.

### 

David had never been up so early in his life, but his excitement kept him up and running. Jon didn’t leave the room until someone brought him coffee. Even still, he dragged his feet, only doing much of anything to get ready when their father yelled at him.

Within an hour, they were sitting high up in a tree, overlooking a high-traffic area. David was having a tough time staying silent. It was well worth it, however.

A buck and doe walked slowly by. Jonathan refused to shoot. David didn’t hesitate when given the OK.

The shot rang. The buck screamed and stumbled and fell.

David laughed.

### 

Four kittens, the first born of the season. David had long-since earned the task of dealing with them. He carried them out to the woods, and didn’t shoo Cat away as she hurriedly followed. When he laid them down, she licked them and settled onto her side beside them.

It was cute.

Cat went first. A quick slice down her neck made her choke and spasm, but it was a pretty quick death. The kittens went one by one, some more slowly than others. He moved each animal into a shallow pit in some bushes near the creek.

In a few weeks, he’d come back to that spot to collect whatever bones were cleanest, and add them to the small collection in one of his drawers.

The caps flew, and that was that. David quickly located his and plopped it right back on his head. Through the crowd, he found his family, standing in a shaded area of grass.

“There’s my high school grad!” His mother cooed, bringing him in for a hug.

“That’s my boy!” His father clapped him on the back, “You really are a man now, and you’ve made me so proud!”

“Thanks, dad! I can’t _wait_ to start work!” He was overjoyed to have already been hired by a local camp site as a counselor. It was an excellent excuse to keep killing- er, hunting, animals. He’d even get to teach kids to do it too! It was the perfect job for someone like him…

Someone not quite right.

Jonathan offered his hand. “Congrats, brother.”

“Thanks!” David wrapped him in a hug instead.

Jon returned it, whispering so only David could hear. “I really hope you stick to murdering cats, and not campers.”

David reared back, wearing a shocked expression. Jon knew about the cats??

“You’re a good man, Davy.” His father grabbed his shoulder and shook him affectionately. “I can’t wait to see what kind of grandkids you’ll give me! Especially since you’re the only one we can count on for it…” He trailed off, giving Jon a pointed look.

Jon scoffed. “I’ve told you, I’m not gay, I just like theater.”

“Either way, I doubt I’ll be seeing any grandkids from you.”

“Whatever.” Jon rolled his eyes.

David was silent.

His first day at camp was exactly what he’d expected it to be. He met other counselors, several kids, and got the grand tour of the layout. Camp Wood Stack was exactly where he wanted to spend the rest of his life. Nature was at his doorstep day in and day out. A number of animals wandered nearby, and some even through the camp at night. 

The perfect place to continue doing what he loved.

Murder.


	2. Five Years Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new face arrives at camp Wood Stack. Daniel fits right in and David is sure he's made a friend. If only Daniel and Jasper would get along... Friendship isn't a competition!

David was not on the hiring committee, despite being a senior counselor. Several people had begged him to be, of course, stating his seniority and friendliness that put people at ease, but he just wasn't interested. He liked it better when other people made those decisions. It was like a fun little surprise, seeing who the new staff and new kids were. 

When he awoke that morning, it was with the knowledge that there would be three new kids and one new counselor. Eagerly, he jumped out of bed and quickly got ready. Shaving, dressing, and brushing his hair and teeth took only a few minutes. His room was in a cabin with three other bedrooms and a main den and kitchen. There was another cabin just like it right next door. One for boys, one for girls. Well, that was how it used to be. At some point, they’d accidentally ended up with more female counselors than male, so the cabins became co-ed and never went back.

The door clacked shut behind him as he left the cabin and trotted down the porch steps. The mess hall was a short walk down a dirt path. Beside it was the main building where they held meetings and events. That was his destination. 

Halfway there, he ran into Jasper. They chatted excitedly about the planned events for the week as they walked together. David had always liked Jasper. He was easy to get along with. Downright friendly, in fact. They often hung out together during camp, and many times off season too. If David ever decided to murder the whole camp, Jasper would totally be last. Er, maybe first to spare him the trauma? Nah, fuck it, last. 

Parents were leaving the main hall when the two counselors arrived. They waved to a few cars slowly driving away. Jasper pulled the door open with a smile and gestured for David to go first. “After you, co-counselor.”

“Why, thank you, co-counselor!” David chirped as he entered. Jasper followed and they shared a laugh. 

The room was full of kids, with a few adults thrown in here and there. Most parents were good enough to drop their kids and off leave after goodbyes, but some liked to stick around as long as possible, which was a bit annoying since their kids then clung to them rather than trying to participate in starting camp activities. But, there wasn’t much they could do aside from asking them to leave as soon as possible.

They navigated the crowd to locate the other counselors. They found Lanisha chatting with Anna and a man about David’s age who was wearing bleached-white clothes. Those, along with his light complexion and bright blonde hair, made him stand out like a sore thumb. David assumed he was a parent or guardian or at least a relative to one of the kids, but there weren’t any clinging to him. The new counselor, perhaps? He was the right age, after all.

They joined the group and David’s suspicions were confirmed. 

“Hey, guys!” Lanisha greeted. “This is Daniel, our new co-counselor. Daniel, this is David, and Jasper!”

David immediately stuck his hand out. “Great to meet you, Daniel! It’s always a pleasure to see a new face!”

Daniel gripped his hand, giving it a firm shake. “Good to meet you too, David! The pleasure is all mine!” He shook Jasper’s hand next, and they swapped similar pleasantries. 

“Here,” Anna handed David a clipboard with paperwork on it. “Rule of seniority, you have to finish the paperwork!”

“Aw, dangit…” David muttered playfully, “Haha, that’s alright. I don’t mind at all!”

“Good!” Anna gestured to Daniel, “We’ll let you show him to his cabin too, and, uh, since you two happen to be the same build and everything…” Her smile turned apologetic, “His employment was kind of last minute… They haven’t sent his uniforms yet.”

“No problem!” David turned to Daniel, “They give us a few new uniforms every year, and I haven’t thrown any of my old ones away! They’re still in great condition, so you have have my new ones!”

“Thanks, David!” Daniel replied with just as much enthusiasm. “That’s so considerate of you!”

“No problem! Come on! I’m sure these guys can take care of things here.”

“Sure thing,” Lanisha nodded, and gestured for them to go.

David led Daniel out, and finally noticed that he had a rolling suitcase with him. He dragged it behind them by it’s long handle.

“That was the main hall,” David explained as they walked, “Beside it is the mess hall, and off that is the storage room. On the other side here is a main bathroom, and the campers all have one bathroom in their cabins. Camper cabins are over there.” He pointed over a hill, where a circle of six cabins centered around a large fire pit. “Over here are our cabins.” He led him up a slope that forked, leading to two different cabins not all too far from the ones right down the hill. “Which one would you like to stay in?”

Daniel hummed and looked between them. “Which one are you in?”

“That one!” David pointed to the right cabin, “Been in it for five years!”

“That’s impressive. I’ll stay in that one. If we’re going to be sharing clothes, it would make sense to be as close as possible, don’t you think...?”

The way Daniel spoke felt… odd, but David couldn’t put his finger on why so he elected to ignore it. “That’s a great idea! With thinking like that, you’re going to fit right in!”

“Thanks, David!”

They headed inside and David walked him to his room, the empty one right across from his own. 

“Jasper has the room down from yours, and mine is this one right across.” David explained as Daniel walked into the room. “You’ve got two roommates now, so don’t go walking around naked in the hall or anything!” He laughed.

Daniel chuckled, “Right. If I decided to go naked, I’ll keep it to one of _our_ rooms.”

David forced a little laugh. He didn’t get the joke. “I’ll be right back! I keep the keys in my room. We have one for the cabin and one for a room on each ring.” He walked to his room, which he never locked during the day, and went straight to his desk. The bottom drawer held several papers and a lock-box. He had a key to it on his keyring. He unlocked it and dug through the small pile of keys inside, looking for one labeled 4A. When he found it, he tossed it on his desk, locked the box, put it away, and stood. He grabbed the keys and spun around-

-and nearly had a heart attack when Daniel was standing right behind him.

“JESUS!” David yelped and nearly dropped the keys.

The blonde laughed. “Actually, it’s Daniel, remember? Sorry about startling you. Are those my keys?”

“Uh, yes.” David quickly handed them over. “The squarish one goes to the cabin, and the rounder one goes to your room. It’s policy to lock the cabin door at night, so if you go in and out please always lock it behind you. Most of us just lock our personal doors at night, but you can keep yours locked or unlocked whenever. Just don’t lose your keys!”

“No worries! I’ve never lost anything in my life!”

“Good to know!” He went to his closet next and grabbed his newest shirts, handing them on hangers to Daniel. “You can wear whatever pants with these you like, but the shirt is a requirement. You can even wear a vest too, like me! I like the extra pockets!” He opened his vest to reveal some pockets inside, in which he usually stored matches or other little things.

“Ah, wonderful. I think I should like to see you without the vest one day, however.”

“Uuuhh, okay.” David wasn’t sure what to make of that. “I would recommend wearing jeans or khakis, and avoiding white since you’re just going to get dirty.”

“No worries! I have other pants in my suitcase. I just wanted to look my best on my first day!”

“Well, you did a great job!”

“Thanks! You look very nice too, David.”

“Aw, thanks! Gosh, you’re so nice, Daniel! I can’t wait to see what you’ll bring to the table!”

“Thanks, David! So, tell me… It’s just three of us in this cabin, right? So the other two are in the other cabin?”

“Yep!” David nodded, “There used to be a third in the other, but he didn’t come back this year. I heard he got a job that’s paying for his college. Lucky guy. He was a cute kid! The campers loved him!”

Another soft chuckle, “Well, he certainly wasn’t the only cute counselor around here, was he?”

“Uh, not… anymore… I guess?” David hated how his voice could get that squeaking pitch to it when he was nervous. Daniel was a little odd, but David was trying not to fault him for it. He did his best to always get along with people. He was afraid that, if he didn’t, if he let himself hate someone, he might slip up, and his bullet wouldn’t be sinking into an animal that round. He didn’t want to go to prison. “Anyway, why don’t you go change and get unpacked? I’ll work on your paperwork, then when you’re ready we’ll join back up with the rest of the gang!”

“Sure thing, David. Can’t wait!” Daniel gave him another big smile, then exited his room.

### 

They left together only ten minutes later. David still wasn’t quite done finalizing the paperwork, but that was fine. There would always be time later! Or tomorrow if it came down to it. He didn’t mind staying up late to finish. He ran on very little sleep anyway.

“That outfit looks great on you, Daniel!” David chirped. 

Daniel was no longer wearing the painfully white clothes. The t-shirt fit him perfectly, and went well with his dark jeans and brown boots. He looked very, very good. 

“Thank you. You look great in yours too.” Daniel’s smile was less of a smile and more of a smirk. 

David shrugged it off with a quick, “Thanks!”

“I assume we’ll be doing a sort of orientation for the first day, correct?” Daniel continued, “Will I be shadowing you for my training here?”

“Uh, sure, if you want!” David gave him a thumbs up, “You can totally shadow me for a few days to get used to how we operate, then I’m sure you’ll settle in pretty naturally and pick up some duties of your own.”

“Oh, absolutely! I’ve done this many times. It’s a little different at every camp, but overall similar.”

They arrived at the main hall and David was pleased to see more parents leaving. Thank goodness. They headed inside and met up with the other three again. There were a few dozen kids, about as many as the cabins would hold, and they were already starting to make friends with each other. Campers returning from previous years found their old friends, and happily welcomed in new ones. Despite his… unnatural desires when it came to death and people, David actually liked kids quite a bit. They were so genuine. He liked people who were genuine.

“Daniel!” Jasper greeted, “Looking good, man!” He gave Daniel a gentle punch in the arm.

Daniel flinched just slightly and rubbed his arm, “Thank you! I think David here wears it better, though.”

Jasper’s brows drew in slightly, but his smile didn’t waver. “I’d have to agree!” He let out some forced laughter.

“Aw, you two are too nice!” David waved it off, “I think we _all_ look great in our uniforms!”

### 

Once the orientation, which entailed a slideshow on the activities that could be expected over the summer, was over, the campers were led out to settle into their assigned cabins before lunch. The counselors helped the kids find their cabin and carry their luggage and gently tried to coerce some remaining parents to go. Thankfully, they did.

Once the campers were settled in, they were allowed an hour to meet new people and check out the camp. It gave the counselor's time to prepare for lunch. Jasper, David, and Daniel worked the kitchen, while Anna and Lanisha set-up the mess hall.

David hummed a soft tune to himself while he prepared a hot stew. Jasper was working on a cake for dessert and Daniel was waiting by the oven to keep an eye on the bread.

“So, David, you like to cook?” Daniel inquired with a grin.

“Oh, definitely,” David nodded, “Putting a bunch of ingredients together into something edible is so relaxing and rewarding and fun! I know how to cook a lot of dishes, so I always volunteer for cooking duty! Sometimes we bring a real chef in, but usually it’s just us.”

“Wow, handsome _and_ talented. Aren’t you just a catch?” 

David laughed softly, “Thanks!”

Jasper turned around. There was a frown on his face as he stirred the contents of the large bowl he was holding. “He’s also smart and kind and funny. David’s the whole package. He only deserves the best; someone who’ll treat him right.”

Daniel’s smile disappeared. He leveled a displeased look at Jasper.

“Uh,” David held up his hands. “Am I sensing some hostility here already? Is this a competition to compliment me, or like some kind of rivalry for my friendship? You’re both my friends and I don’t even really like compliments! In fact, new rule, no complimenting me! Now, you two best get along! I don’t like drama.”

“Sorry, David.” Jasper apologized kindly, “You’re right, as usual.”

“I’m sorry too, David.” Daniel smiled again, “It won’t happen again, I promise.”

“Good! That’s what I like to hear!” David’s smile lit up the room. He turned back to his pot and continued cooking.

### 

After lunch, the counselors led the campers on their first hike. It was a short one on a wide and easy trail that circled the camp. Lanisha and Anna took the head of the group, while the other three kept toward the back. Lanisha was very knowledgeable about flowers and shrubs, whereas Anna had a strong love of trees. They taught the campers about plants as they passed them.

David’s strong suit was animals. He discussed what creatures were common in the area, what they looked like, and what to do if encountered. He showed the kids tracks in the dirt and marks on trees, explaining which animals made them.

“I take it you hunt?” Daniel inquired after David finished a monologue over some deer tracks.

David nodded eagerly. “Yeah! I love hunting! Especially big game! A few times a summer I get to hunt something and teach the kids how to skin it and gut it and cook it. It’s so fun! And delicious!”

Daniel grinned at him. “Ah. I didn’t expect someone so kind to enjoy killing animals.”

“Uh,” David faltered, “I- People have to eat…”

“Yeah, dude!” Jasper cut in, “Lay off. Plenty of good people hunt. It’s not inhumane if you kill ‘em fast.”

Daniel put his hands up, “Oh, no no, I wasn’t implying David isn’t a wonderful person. It was just a bit of a surprise is all. It’s impressive. A skill many don’t have anymore. I could have worded it better. So sorry.”

David was quick to forgive, “Oh, that’s okay! Thank you! My dad taught me.”

“Ah, how fortunate for you.” Daniel smiled politely.

Jasper’s skills were more on the survival front. What was okay to eat, what to do if lost, how to make a simple shelter, how to build a fire, how to make water drinkable, and what signs to look for for danger or safety. He gave brief bits of information during the walk, and frequently gestured with his hands.

Daniel’s particular knowledge base showed itself later that evening. Roasting s'mores over the light of a campfire, with no bright city lights to block out the stars, he had the campers entranced. The big dipper, Ursa Major and Minor, Aquarius, Lyra, Pegasus, and more. He knew every constellation and where they were and when they were visible. Facts about every planet rolled off his tongue like smooth, flowing silk. Science and mythology mingled and from them evolved fantastical stories of old beliefs and futuristic space battles.

David could tell immediately that Daniel had become the favorite counselor among the campers. They were more engaged with him and his stories than they had been with any single thing the whole day. He was good with them, answering their questions, no matter how serious or silly or absurd, with a gentleness that was rare for someone so enthusiastic about what they were speaking.

David found he was also becoming a bit entranced by it. Some of the stories were pretty far out, in particular a galactic war that was so detailed David was kind of impressed, that he had to wonder if they were really even stories, or something that Daniel honestly believed. Either way, he didn’t think it harmful. The stories were wonderful, and the knowledge of space so fascinating.

He hadn’t realized how intently he’d been staring at Daniel across the fire, the man standing on a rock and gesturing to the sky to explain his answer to a question from a little girl, until Jasper nudged him. “Why are you staring at him like that?” Jasper whispered. There was a hurt tone to his voice.

“Hm? Like what?” David whispered back. “I was just listening. He’s very charismatic, isn’t he?” The somewhat dreamy sigh that slipped out probably didn’t help. He just had an appreciation for people who were genuine in their interests! He had to hide his own interests, and it sucked.

Jasper made a noise that David hadn’t heard from him before. It sounded like an angry huff, as if he was… jealous or something. David gently nudged him. “Hey, I don’t like him more than you. We’re still best friends. He’s not gonna replace you.”

“I know.” Jasper muttered. “I’m not mad. I promise.”

“Okay…” David let it go, even though he could tell Jasper was not happy. Oh well. It wasn’t his fault if someone else got their feelings hurt over nothing. He wasn’t going to argue it.


	3. Rule Breakers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is very, very, very NSFW. Very.
> 
> Also, if you happen to want to chat or follow me on tumblr, my main blog is AestheticAcoustic, and my side fandom blog (which is currently just... so much Camp Camp. omg.) its AAsfandoms. Hope I see ya there. Enjoy!

The campers were sent to bed around 10pm. Counselors took their showers and settled into their cabins for the night. In his pajamas, David sat in his chair at his desk and worked on Daniel’s paperwork. It wasn’t anything difficult, just copying information from one paper onto a few others, adding some signatures, filling in camp information, and so on. His handwriting was neat and very legible, which was why he often got saddled with tasks involving a lot of writing. Not that he minded. It was fun to feel the pen glide smoothly over paper.

There was a knock at the door. “Come in.” David called without looking up. 

The door opened and Daniel stepped inside. He was wearing pajama shorts with pockets and a plain t-shirt. “Evening, David.” He greeted with a smile. He shut the door and flicked the lock into place before walking over.

“Evening, Daniel! Uh, you don’t have to lock the door…” David quirked an eyebrow.

“Sorry, force of habit.” Daniel said simply. He didn’t turn around to unlock the door, however. He walked over and sat down in a chair against the wall. “How’s my paperwork coming?”

“Uh, good!” David smiled, brushing off the lock business. “Just a few more blanks to fill in, then I can approve it and have it sent to the corporate office tomorrow! I’ve back-dated it to make sure you’re paid for all the time you work, so don’t worry about that!”

“Oh, I wasn’t worried at all!” Daniel waved it off, “Thank you, David! You’re very considerate, _and_ hard-working!”

“Aw, thanks, but what did I say about compliments?” David warned playfully. 

“Haha, sorry. It’s just so difficult not to compliment someone with so many positive traits! There doesn’t seem to be a negative thing about you, David.”

David let out a weak laugh, “Well, you never really know someone, do you? Thanks though. You’re very kind.” 

Daniel’s smile widened. For a moment, it looked eerie. “I suppose that’s true… Still. I like you, David.”

“I like you too, Daniel.” David’s friendly smile didn’t waver, even though he was beginning to feel a little… uncomfortable.

“Good. So, what do you do off season, David?” Daniel asked sweetly.

David settled more comfortably into his chair. “I work part-time a few places. I have a friend who’s a taxidermist and I assist her during hunting season. She let’s me do the gutting and skinning and clean-up. I also have a friend who’s a mortician and I help her with preparing the corpses for funerals and wakes. When I’m not doing that, I wait tables at a diner near my apartment, then moonlight at a bar down the road.” 

“Wow. That’s quite a lot of work.”

“What can I say?” David laughed softly, “I love to stay busy!” If he kept busy, it was easier to ignore certain urges. Keep his hands moving with other things and he wouldn’t have to wrap them around some tiny animal or… a person… like he really, _really_ wanted…

Daniel leaned closer, “Seems like you really enjoy working with dead things, too. Why?”

“I- I don’t know.” David averted his eyes. “I just… like to help…” He couldn’t come up with a good excuse. Most people didn’t ask these questions, and especially not in the tone Daniel was using. A knowing one. His intentions were less innocent than he made them out to be.

“Yes, you do strike me as the helpful type. How are you able to find time to date between all that work?”

“I don’t.”

“Shouldn’t you make time?”

“No, I mean I don’t date. I’m not really, uh, interested.”

“Really?” Daniel’s brows rose, “I would have thought someone as sweet as you would be eagerly looking for a partner to spoil.”

“No… If the right person comes along, then great, but I’m not really looking…” 

“Hm. I would almost think you and Jasper were something…?”

David’s eyes went wide, “What? No! We’re just friends. Besides, it’s against the rules for counselors to date. Doing stuff like that with people you work with can end really badly.”

“Ah, that makes sense… What about doing things with someone who’s going to work here, but technically doesn’t yet because his paperwork isn’t done?” Daniel was smirking now.

David was a bit naive, but he wasn’t stupid. After a moment, the implications clicked. “Um,” He started weakly, “I wouldn’t know about that. It’s really specific. Anyway, it’s late now and-”

Daniel suddenly stood. Before David could react, there was a hand gripping the chair between his legs and another draped over the back of it behind him. He was trapped in his seat, with Daniel standing over him and leaning so, so close. There was a knife in the top drawer of the desk, but David hesitated to try for it.

“Come now, David,” Daniel’s voice was a purr, “How much harder do I have to hint? I want to stay the night in your room tonight, you understand? In your bed, minus our clothes.”

“That’s- That’s against the rules-” David stammered. A lame excuse, and one he didn’t even fully care about, if he was being honest.

“I’m not really a counselor yet though, am I? Not until those papers make it to the office.”

“It might make it awkward between us though, and I don’t want to lose my job-”

“It won’t, and you won’t. This is a one-time thing, just between us. No one has to know. Come on. Please? You’re just so attractive, David. It’s hard not to want you. I know you like me too. Let’s work these frustrations out now, so they don’t get worse down the line.” He slid his hand in closer, pressing his wrist to David’s groin.

David let out a small gasp. His legs drew in slightly. He licked his lips and couldn’t meet Daniel’s gaze. “I- I don’t have any condoms so we can’t-”

“I have some in my pocket.” Daniel replied smoothly.

David almost laughed. “So you were planning this, and you aren’t going to take no for an answer, are you?”

“If you really don’t want to, David, I understand, and I’ll leave you be. But this is going to be our only chance, so I’d like you to _really_ think about it…” He palmed David’s groin and his grin widened. “You’re already getting hard. I promise I could satisfy you. No one has to know, no one has to get in trouble. Our secret. Just let me fuck you, please…?” 

David cringed slightly at the curse-word, but Daniel was rubbing him gently, and it was so hard to say no to someone like Daniel… Someone David really did want to sleep with…

His hand seemed to move of it’s own accord. He grabbed Daniel’s shirt and pulled him down. The kiss was rough and messy. Daniel’s hand tangled in David’s hair and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. His other hand rubbed harder, making David groan into the kiss.

They parted, their breathing heavy. “Have you ever been with anyone before?” Daniel asked.

“My girlfriend… in highschool…” David replied softly. His hand rubbed at Daniel’s chest through his shirt.

“Oh? Bisexual then?”

“No… I didn’t want to disappoint my father…”

Daniel chuckled softly. “Poor thing. Ever been with a man before?”

“No.”

“Well…” Daniel leaned in and brushed their lips together, “I’m about to make tonight the best night of your life.”

David shivered. 

The second kiss was rougher than the first. It was brief too. Daniel broke it and grabbed David’s waist. David was yanked to his feet. It seemed Daniel was much stronger than he looked. David made a mental note of that, just in case.

Their lips met again. Daniel pulled them flush against each other. David could feel Daniel’s erection pressing against his hip. It felt thick, heavy, solid… David bucked his hips against it. Daniel moaned. David broke the kiss this time.

The bed was barely five feet away. David stumbled slightly as he pulled Daniel over. When his legs brushed it, stopping them, he was shoved. With a grunt, he hit the bed and looked up at Daniel. The blonde had a wicked grin on his face and a large tent in his pants. He pulled his shirt over his head and threw it aside. David quickly did the same, tossing his shirt on the other side of the bed.

Daniel’s lips were on David’s collarbone a second later, and his hands roamed his torso. Teeth and lips and tongue left trails across David’s neck and chest, leaving his upper body flushed and breathless. Fingers slipped under his waistband. It slid down his hips and was soon gone, his pants finding their place on the floor. 

Things only spiraled from there. Fingers caressed him in places that he’d never really touched, making his legs tremble. Latex rolled over thick flesh. Lubricant was cold against his entrance. A sharp gasp. The feeling of Daniel sinking into him was overwhelming and aching and so so good in a way David didn’t have words to describe. It was so big and there was pain but the pleasure overrode it. 

Daniel’s hips pressed against David’s ass and his back arched. He was overcome by an amazing tingling sensation that seemed to be centered in his head but traveled throughout his body. Without much thought, he grabbed Daniel’s knees, hooking his fingers behind them, and pulled. Closer against Daniel, taking him deeper, and the tingling increased. “Oh, yes…” He gasped with shaking breath. He was vaguely aware that he was grinding his hips against Daniel.

Above him, Daniel let out a purr of a chuckle. “You like it deep, do you?”

“Uh-huh…” David whimpered.

Another chuckle, “That gives me an idea for next time then.”

“Next time?” David asked, breathless.

“Of course. We only get one night. I brought three condoms.”

“Oh, gosh…” A slight surprise, but far from a negative. 

Daniel got a better grip on David’s legs and spread them a little wider. “Remember; relax.”

David figured he was more relaxed and at ease and blissful in that moment than he had been in some years. He didn’t get a chance to try to form words, however. Another sharp gasp was forced from him when Daniel began thrusting. Hard and fast and deep. Loud noises fell out of David’s throat before he could stop them and he had to grit his teeth to try and control them. He didn’t want anyone hearing them.

But, with how loudly their skin slapped together with each plunging thrust, maybe it was too late to worry about that.

“Oh, _God_!” David managed in a languid moan.

“Call me ‘Daniel.’” The blonde panted.

“Daniel…!” He was breathless. His hands gripped the sheet like a vice and his head ended up hanging partly off the side of the bed. His noises devolved into whimpers and groans. Daniel pushed his legs closer and drove harder, making David’s back arch. “Oh, fu- yes, please, yes, please, yes, please-!”

Daniel chuckled. “I _thought_ you might be a cock-slut.”

“ _Language_!” David moaned without realizing it.

A laugh. Daniel leaned in and pressed their lips together. His thrusts lost some speed, hitting hard and deep instead. 

The kiss prevented David from crying out, causing him to moan into it instead. His hands flew to Daniel’s back, where they began making red trails of desperation in the pale flesh. 

It was Daniel’s turn to moan. He broke the kiss, panting, “Fuck, David…!”

Hearing his name spoken like that sent a thrill through David. “God _Daniel_!”

“ _Ohshit…_!” Daniel gasped. His hand slipped between them and wrapped around David’s aching cock. He stroked it quickly, paying special attention to the head, squeezing it a bit harder than the shaft.

David moaned and writhed, “Daniel!”

“Come for me, please!” Daniel panted in David’s ear, his hot breath brushing heated flesh. “I’m so fucking close but youhavetocomefirst-!” His tone was desperate.

David really didn’t need any encouraging. Between the thrusting and stroking and moaning it was just too much. He came with a loud, guttural moan. His whole body tensed and quivered with it. His nails bit deeply into Daniel’s back.

Daniel finished seconds later. “Shit- _David_!” His body tensed as well, David could feel the muscles under his fingertips, and his thrusts lost their rhythmic pace. He hit hard and deep a few more times, groaning and trembling. Finally, he thrust deep, and relaxed. He rested with his head buried in David’s neck.

They were breathless and sweaty. Neither really cared. Total bliss. 

David’s hands had flopped uselessly to his sides, but he summoned strength to lift one. He tangled his fingers in the hair on the back of Daniel’s head, stroking gently.

Daniel groaned softly and placed slow kisses on David’s neck. Eventually, he grunted and pushed himself up. 

Their eyes met. Both were a mess, their hair a sweaty mess. Daniel’s gaze was predatory. Rather than being frightened by it, David suddenly found himself feeling incredibly attracted. Was… was this what a crush felt like?

Uh oh.

Daniel smirked at him and the new feeling increased. Shit. “How was your _real_ first time, _Davy_?”

Davy. He must have heard Jasper call him that before. David kind of liked how Daniel said it. “Amazing…” He breathed, “Is it always like that, or are you just that good?”

Daniel chuckled. “I like to think I’m just that good.” He gently pulled out and let David’s legs finally come to rest on the bed. They felt numb and achy at the same time. Daniel climbed off the bed and pulled the condom off. He stepped over to the trash bin that was sitting by the desk, tossing the used rubber in. There were long, red scratches on his back, bright against his pale skin.

“You’re bleeding.” David stated.

Daniel turned and another smirk graced his lips. “Good. Means I did a good job.”

David took a deep breath and pushed himself up. A hiss. Everything below the waist hurt, but not to an intolerable degree. He shifted, and a few moments later the two were laying down side-by-side, vertical, their heads on the pillows.

“Are we really going to do it twice more?” David asked softly.

Daniel let out a soft chuckle. “We don’t have to. Only if you’re up for it.” He rolled over and pressed a kiss to David’s cheek.

The redhead glanced up at the wooden clock on the wall. They’d been at it for over twenty minutes. Somehow, it hadn’t felt that long. He lightly bit his lip, thinking. It wouldn’t… hurt to go another round, right? It was still early. David had stayed up far later than this just reading. “I’d like to go again…” He said shyly. He could feel Daniel’s grin against his cheek.

“Good.” Daniel trailed fingers down David’s chest and stomach, smearing his cum. He brought his fingers to his lips and licked them clean. “Let’s clean you up a little first though, hm?”

David shivered. He assumed Daniel was going to hand him a tissue or something, but he was very wrong.

Daniel was suddenly above him, that predatory gaze back in his eyes. His head dipped. Tongue met stomach, slowly ran up it. Lips soon joined. They licked and sucked up every drop of cum splattered across David’s torso, working their way up. David briefly wondered what it tasted like. Teeth grazed a nipple. Two long fingers entered him, sinking in deep. Coherent thought suddenly became impossible.

Daniel was above him again, staring down with those piercing eyes. “Look at me.” He commanded when David tried to avert his gaze.

Their eyes met. David whimpered as fingers thrust deeply.

“Say my name.”

“Daniel…” A whisper.

“Again.”

“Daniel…!” Louder this time, with a hint of a whimper.

“Again.” Harsher this time.

“Dan- AH! _Daniel_!” Fingers pressed hard against something inside him. David’s back arched and his vision was momentarily white. He was hard and his legs were shaking all over again.

“There’s a good boy.” Daniel smirked. His fingers rubbed circles into that spot, making the man under him moan and writhe and grip the sheets desperately. “Tell me you want me to fuck you.”

“Daniel-” His voice was breathless. “Please- I- Please have sex with me-”

“That’s not what I said.” He pushed hard on the spot, making David cry out loudly and his hips come off the bed. “Say, ‘Daniel, I want you to _fuck_ me.’”

“Daniel I want you to fuck me!” He didn’t like the language, but goddamn he was _desperate_.

Daniel chuckled and gently withdrew his fingers. David’s hips fell back onto the bed and he went limp. “Good boy, Davy.”

The next thing David knew, he was on his hands and knees. This time when Daniel thrust into him, it knocked the air out of his lungs. Daniel had been right. It was _deeper_ in this position. One hand flew to the headboard, gripping it tightly to ground him.

Daniel didn’t bother going too quickly this time. His thrusts were hard and deep, barely giving poor David a moment to catch his breath. He couldn’t stay up. His hands gripped the edges of the pillow and he buried his face in it. The hands gripping his hips were about the only thing keeping him up.

The pillow muffled his moaning and begging and praising. At some point he became aware that it was growing slightly damp. Whether that was from sweat or drool or tears of pleasure he had no idea. Behind him, he could hear Daniel panting and groaning and muttering things under his breath. David caught a few of them, and they were words he’d never repeat.

He knew they were being loud. Sex was noisy. Between the noises coming from them, the slapping of skin, and the headrest knocking against the wall, he doubted Jasper couldn’t hear at least a little of this. At the moment, he did not care. That was future-David’s problem. Present-David was getting his brains fucked out and was not concerned about the consequences.

Daniel pushed his hips lower and angled his thrusts downward. Suddenly, that spot he’d been torturing David with earlier was being pelted with hard thrusts. The pillow was no longer helping very much with the sounds he was making. He could no longer muster words, just long sobs of pleasure. His body squirmed.

“Hold still!” Daniel hissed. 

David tensed, trying so hard to stop squirming. He succeeded, but everything was just too much. The pleasure overwhelmed him, and he came with a scream. His face buried deep in the pillow, it did help to muffle it. Daniel moaned and thrust harder, drawing it out. 

David was a trembling mess by the time orgasm rolled over to post-orgasm bliss. His noises devolved into soft sobs as Daniel continued to nail him. David went almost totally limp, leaving Daniel to do most of the work.

The blonde didn’t seem to mind.

“Goddamn David you’re so tight.” He panted, “So fucking good, baby. You feel so fucking good.” It was several minutes before he finished. Like last time, he pushed deep inside, groaning David’s name loudly.

Moments later, David was laying on his side, limp, weak, half-asleep, and thoroughly satisfied. His ears picked up the click of the lamp by his bed, Daniel’s footsteps across the floor as he went to the trashcan, then to the door. The lights clicked off. Footsteps returning.

“Can I sleep here tonight?” Daniel asked gently.

“Yes.” David breathed.

The lamp clicked again. The room was completely dark. Daniel climbed onto the bed and pulled David against him. They were still sweaty and sticky and messy, but neither cared. They pressed flush against one another, enjoying each other's warmth. David grabbed one of Daniel’s hands and laced their fingers. Daniel pressed a few light kisses to the back of David’s neck sweetly.

“No third time?” David whispered.

Daniel merely hummed and nuzzled the back of his neck. David was fine with this. They were both too tired.

### 

It was late when David awoke again. Probably around two or three in the morning. He didn’t feel Daniel against his back. With a soft groan, he rolled over, and felt around. Daniel was inches away, on his back, probably having rolled in his sleep. David scooted closer and let his hand slide across Daniel’s chest to help guide him in the dark. He pressed himself against Daniel’s side. 

The blonde stirred. A weak, barely audible groan. One arm wrapped around David, pulling him close, and the other flopped over to lay against the arm David had draped across Daniel’s chest. He buried his face in David’s hair and took a deep, tired breath. “Smells nice.” He muttered. He was barely even awake at all.

David nuzzled Daniel’s chest and squeezed him. Warm and solid and comforting. David realized he loved this. Loved holding another person so intimately. He felt safe. With a soft smile, he kissed Daniel’s collar, and soon fell right back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone who's commented. Thank you! It helped me get this out faster (I tend to write these sort of scenes very very slowly...). I've noted that many of you are very excited to see Max (who wouldn't be??) and that has encouraged me to change the story a little. It was originally going to end with them taking Max in, with an additional little epilogue with them slaying together. Now? More chapters for you. The story continues even AFTER they adopt Max. Shenanigans. Drama. Idk how tf I'm going to end it. Oh well!
> 
> Anyway thanks again. Next chapter shouldn't take too long, since it won't just be one long smut fest.


	4. Damage Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the wonderful comments! They really encourage me and improve the story. I see the comments throughout the day when I check my email, and they keep this story fresh in my mind, so I'm always thinking about it and how it all should play out. Seriously, this story has grown so much from what it was originally going to be and that would not be possible without ya'll! Thank you!

The sun was barely above the horizon when David awoke again. This time, it was to Daniel kissing him all over his face and neck. His erection was prodding David’s stomach. “One condom left.” The blonde whispered in a voice that made desire stir.

David couldn’t say no. He didn’t even want to.

Their third time was slower, quieter, gentler, longer. It left David feeling more invigorated than exhausted. What a fantastic way to start the day.

At 6am they finally got up. “It’s been fun.” Daniel said with a final kiss. “I’m going to shower. Do you want to use it first?”

“That’s alright.” David sat up and stretched sore muscles, “You go ahead. I’ll finish up your paperwork.” 

They dressed. The marks on Daniel’s back were still visible. David sat down at his desk as Daniel took his leave. 

With Daniel finally gone, he had some time to himself to think. He’d broken a very strict rule for a single, fleeting night of pleasure. Was it worth it to have risked his job like this? To face the possibility of no longer being allowed back to the camp he loved?

Yes, actually. It felt very worth it. But, there was a new problem now. Daniel had said that single night would break whatever tension was between them so they could just be friends… But David hadn’t really felt that tension before. None that he’d noticed anyway… Now though? Already, he was craving to feel Daniel against him again. He wanted to be held, to feel safe and warm. 

Did Daniel feel the same, or had that single night really been all he needed?

He didn’t really want to think about the subject any longer. He pushed those thoughts aside and concentrated on paperwork. It really needed to be finished. 

A few minutes later there was a knock at his door. “Come in.”

Jasper stepped inside, still wearing his pajamas.

David smiled brightly at him, “Morning, Jasper! Sleep well?”

“Fine. You?” Jasper’s reply was short, quick. He walked over and took a seat in the chair beside the desk.

“No better or worse than usual.” David shrugged. “I’m just finishing up Daniel’s paperwork, then I’m gonna shower, then the three of us can walk to the main hall together!”

Jasper hummed. He wasn’t smiling. His eyes flicked down to the trash bin, then they narrowed and he quickly looked away.

David glanced at the trash can. Evidence of what they’d done last night and that morning was very plainly visible. 

Fiddlesticks.

“Jasper, I-” David started weakly.

“Why?” Jasper’s tone was even.

David blinked, hesitated. “Wh- why what?”

“Just, why?” He looked at David and the fire in his eyes was plainly visible. “Why him? Why now? Why so soon? Why not me? Why?”

It was David’s turn to look away. “I don’t know.” He answered weakly, “He asked, and I just-”

“He _asked_?” Jasper snapped, “So you drop your pants for any guy that _asks_?”

“No! I just- He’s- I _wanted_ to.”

“You don’t even _know_ him!” Jasper yelled. He stood, fists clenched at his sides. “How could you just- You were _screaming_ for him and- Why?! Why him?! We’ve been friends for two years and I’ve tried so _hard_ to date you and it’s _never_ gone anywhere and in less than twenty-four hours you’ve given yourself to him- How many times?! How many times, David?!”

David was at a loss for words.

“Three times.” Came Daniel’s calm reply from the doorway. There was a towel around his waist, and nothing else.

Jasper turned to him, furious. “Fuck you! You _know_ I like him! I _know_ you do!”

“Goodness, I’m so sorry, Jasper!” Daniel gave him a sympathetic look, holding his hands up in defeat, “I didn’t mean to cause a fuss. No one was supposed to find out. It was just sex, nothing more, and a one-time thing. Please don’t be mad at him though, I assure you I was the instigator here, not Davy.”

Jasper’s shoulders tensed. “ _You_ don’t _call_ him that!”

David stood and put a hand on Jasper’s shoulder. “Okay, let’s calm down…” He turned to Daniel. “Thank you, Daniel, but can Jasper and I talk in private?”

“Sure.” Daniel nodded, “Sorry, again. I’ll be in my room when we’re ready to go.” He turned and stepped across the hall into his room. There were still pink lines all over his back.

Jasper averted his gaze with a pained look. Tears were welling in his eyes.

“Jasper…” David spoke softly, “Listen to me… I _never_ meant to hurt you. Daniel never meant to hurt you. This was a mess, and I’m so sorry.”

Jasper sniffled. “Why do you like him more than me?”

“I don’t!” David protested. “Daniel is just a friend, who I happened to have… _sex_ with… We’re all adults here, and… _sex_ … is just a normal part of adult life. It doesn’t mean I love him or anything… You’re still my best friend.”

“I want to be more than that though…”

“I- I know that now… I wasn’t aware… I just- I don’t know if _I_ want that… You’re my _best friend_. There’s no one I like more than you. But, relationships can get messy, and… I’d really hate to lose you completely. I don’t feel any romantic feelings for you, and I don’t want to pretend that I do and lead you on and hurt you… I just want you to be my best friend… I’m sorry.”

Jasper wiped his eyes and swallowed thickly. “I… I understand… I don’t want to lose you either, Davy. Best friend. Thank you for… taking my feelings seriously and letting me down gently instead of just… leading me on. I’m sorry I lost my cool.”

“It’s okay.” David smiled softly and squeezed Jasper’s shoulders. “I think you were pretty composed for how angry you were.”

“Heh, thanks…” Jasper met his gaze. “Can I… hug you…?”

“Of course!” David hugged him tightly. Jasper squeezed him and buried his nose in his hair. 

_‘Smells nice.’_ Daniel’s words echoed in David’s mind. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend Daniel was the one who was embracing him like he was the last man on earth.

### 

Jasper went on to the main hall without them. Perhaps that was for the best. He was still likely to throw a fist at Daniel if one wrong thing was said. David finished up the paperwork, then showered. When he had fresh clothes on and was ready to greet the day, he and Daniel left together. David’s neat handwriting adorned a large orange envelope, on it’s way to the mailbox to be whisked away.

“Ah, I love the summer, and the forest.” Daniel commented as they walked. “I never really got to enjoy them growing up, so I’m always so happy for the opportunity.”

“You grew up in the city?” David asked.

Daniel hummed, then shrugged, “Of sorts. I would call it more of a… compound.”

“Like, military?”

“Not exactly, but I suppose it was similar.”

David took a breath and opened his mouth to continue questioning, but two kids who’d split from the group ran up to them.

“Daniel! Daniel!” They were calling out of sync. All four people stopped when the two groups met. The smallest child reached up toward Daniel, silently requesting to be picked up. “Tell us more about space!”

A massive smile adorned Daniel’s face, and his eyes twinkled with something that David had not seen before. He didn’t have a word for it. It made him uneasy. “Sure thing, kiddos!” Daniel scooped up the child, and the other was content to just grasp his shirt as they walked.

Daniel started in about space again, and all David’s worries were gone. Daniel’s passionate retelling was so entrancing. David was unknowingly smitten. But, some things were said that were unignorably strange. What did he mean the Big Bang didn’t create the universe? Negative ions? Dark toxins? The kids were eating it up, and David had to admire how charismatically Daniel was laying it all out.

He suddenly had a pretty good idea about what kind of compound Daniel had grown up in though.

When they arrived at the main hall, Daniel put the child down and the kids ran to the mess hall. David dropped the envelope full of paperwork off at the mail drop, then led Daniel inside where the others were waiting.

“Morning, you two!” Anna greeted with a smile, “About time you got here!”

“Sorry, that was my fault!” David apologized, “I didn’t get the paperwork done last night, so I finished it up this morning. I didn’t miss anything, did I?”

“Nah,” Lanisha waved it off, “We just finished rousing the kids. They’re having their breakfast right now. I figured we could do the full safety course today, then take them out on the longer trail and give some hands on training.”

“Sounds great to me.” Jasper nodded. The rest agreed and it was settled.

Daniel spoke up. “Could I run something by everyone? I was hoping we could throw a little party at the end of the week. Maybe with just some cake and punch. I already have all the ingredients, and I don’t mind doing all the work to prepare. I just thought it might be something nice, just a little celebration for everyone.”

Anna and Lanisha were incredibly pleased, while Jasper kept a neutral expression. David had a bad feeling in his gut, but when Daniel smiled at him he forgot all about it.

### 

The presentation on Forest Safety lasted until lunch. It consisted of a PowerPoint presentation, a short video, and some worksheets and little games they all went over together. It was mainly on basic survival skills, what to do when certain animals were encountered, how to tell good food from bad, etc. The kids loved it.

After lunch they took the kids on a longer and slightly more difficult trail. Again, Lanisha and Anna took the lead, while the three others stuck to the rear. Jasper made a point of keeping himself between David and Daniel. None of them were particularly pleased.

Once the sun set and the stars appeared, the kids were tugging at Daniel’s clothes and pointing to the sky, asking a dozen questions each. Like the previous night, he smiled brighter than the sun and happily answered each and every one. And, also like the previous night, David was staring with a dreamy expression, enjoying Daniel’s charismatic and excited stories. He was smitten, and it showed on his feature.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Jasper staring at him with a heated expression. David didn’t really care.

### 

It was getting late, the whole camp was quiet. With just the single dim light of his table lamp, David finished up an activity schedule for the next week, then put it aside and decided it was high time for bed. Just as he was standing up, there was a knock at the door. It seemed a little late for visitors, but his chest fluttered with the possibility of who it was. Who he _hoped_ it was.

Instead of inviting them in, he went to the door. When he opened it, there was a jolt of excitement in his chest.

“Evening, David.” Daniel smiled, “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

David returned the smile. “No,” he spoke softly so Jasper wouldn’t hear them, “I was just finishing up some work… Did you… want to talk…?”

There was a glimmer in Daniel’s eye. “Weeelll…” He tilted his head, “I can’t lie to you, Davy. I like you quite a bit more than I’ve admitted, and, well, since it’s unlikely my paperwork has reached the office or been processed yet…” He held up his right hand. Pinched between his index and middle finger was a single condom. “I was thinking, perhaps, one more time?”

David bit his lip, partially out of nervousness but mostly so he wouldn’t immediately blurt ‘yes please!’ He needed to _think_ about this, he needed to be _careful_. He doubted Jasper would blab and risk getting him fired, but he didn’t know just how willing Jasper would be to try and get _Daniel_ fired. “I- I don’t know….” He said softly, “We can’t- we can’t keep doing this…”

“This will be the last time while we’re at camp.” Daniel stated confidently, “I _promise_ , and I always keep my promises.”

“‘While we’re at camp?’” David quirked a brow.

Daniel’s smile turned almost shy, “Like I said, I like you quite a bit more than I’ve admitted. I was hoping, if all goes well over the summer, we might keep in touch the rest of the year and… see how things go…”

David’s heart fluttered. He couldn’t say no to that. Without a word, he grabbed Daniel’s arm and pulled him inside.

### 

The next morning, David awoke to kisses on his neck, much like he had the previous morning. It was something he could get used to. With a hum, he rolled over and met Daniel’s lips. They pulled each other close, and this time David became the instigator. He trailed a hand down Daniel’s chest, reaching lower, and lower…

Daniel broke the kiss. “Ah-ah-ah.” He grinned and grabbed David’s wandering hand, “One more time, remember? I don’t break my promises. Besides, I don’t have another condom.”

“I don’t care if we don’t use a condom.” That was stupid, and David knew it was stupid the second it rolled out of his mouth. Why was he like this?

Daniel chuckled, “Well, at least I know you really enjoy it then. But, I must decline. I can’t break a promise, especially not to you. I want you to trust me, and I want you to _know_ you can trust me, no matter what.”

The reasoning should have seemed strange, but all David registered was how romantic that sounded. What a great guy… He smiled and pecked Daniel’s lips. “Thank you. You’re… really fantastic…” 

Daniel gently caressed his face, “How kind. I think you are too, Davy. The most fantastic person I’ve ever met.”

David blushed, but he was smiling so big it hurt his face. 

They climbed out of bed soon after and put their pajamas back on. Silently, they stepped out into the hallway, only to freeze a moment later when Jasper came out of the bathroom. All three stood completely still. Jasper’s initial look of surprise melted into one of cold acceptance.

“Uh,” David stammered, “M-morning, Jasper…”

Jasper’s expression didn’t change, but there was rage in his eyes. “Again, huh?” His tone was even, but there was a bite behind it.

Daniel offered a polite smile, “So sorry. Again, this was my fault. I assure you though, it won’t happen again! David and I have already agreed to that.”

Jasper didn’t say anything. He walked over to them, his gaze on Daniel the entire time. He stopped barely a foot away, giving Daniel the most hateful look that David had ever seen on his face. Daniel just kept smiling.

There was silence. Jasper was holding back his rage with trembling fists. David knew he wouldn’t throw a punch though, or even start yelling. Jasper didn’t get angry easily, but when he did and he went off, there was no stopping him. No one here wanted a fight to break out, even Jasper. 

After a few moments, Jasper took a long, deep breath through his nose, then exhaled it slowly. He finally looked at David. “Wear something around your neck. It’s covered in marks.” With that, he shoved past Daniel and stormed into his room, slamming the door.

David’s face went red and his hands flew to his neck. He could almost feel last night’s sensations all over again. Daniel biting and sucking and being none too gentle. David really only had himself to blame though. He’d been the one begging for more; harder, rougher, deeper, please.

Daniel’s smile left and he glared at Jasper’s closed door. The smile returned when he looked at David, his expression soft. “I’m so sorry, Davy, I didn’t mean to cause you any distress.”

“Oh, it’s okay…” David shrugged, “He’ll get over it eventually… I think…”

They shared one final kiss, then parted ways. 

Ten minutes later, Jasper stormed out of the cabin. Twenty minutes after that, David and Daniel were ready and left together. David fashioned an old shirt into a makeshift scarf and hoped that no one would see anything strange about it, or at least not bother asking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> David'll happily get railed all night, but God forbid he has to say the word.... _sex._ Also, I love Jasper, no matter how much I'm currently torturing this poor guy.
> 
> Next chapter things are going to start ramping up, and the chapter after that... Well, it might just be the last we see of Camp Wood Stack... ;)


	5. Deviants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a bit longer than it should have. My part-time job finally became a full-time job and I've been tired after work.

Halfway through the day, David’s hopes were dashed. It was right after lunch, during Arts and Crafts, when things started to go very wrong. Daniel had been sitting between a few campers at a table, coloring along with them and showing them some little tricks to make colors blend better. David was sitting across from him, ignoring his own blank page in favor of staring at Daniel. With an affectionate tilt of his head, a mark had been exposed. Seconds later, he was standing with Lanisha around a corner, stiff and nervous as she repeatedly asked where the marks had come from. He couldn’t come up with a good answer. He couldn’t come up with any answer.

At dinner, the five counselors were gathered in the kitchen, where they could chat in private while keeping on eye on the kids through a glass window between the kitchen and dining area. Though, the meeting was less of a discussion and more of an interrogation. David kept his eyes on the ground and hugged himself while Anna and Lanisha grilled him about the marks. David couldn’t give any answer, and every excuse Daniel was making for him was being dismissed.

“Mosquito bites.” 

“They’re not in season.”

“Fleas or ticks.”

“Not possible.”

“An allergic reaction.”

“He isn’t allergic to anything!”

“Slept wrong.”

Lanisha got sick of it first. “Why are you trying to make excuses?? Do you know what happened?? We need to know! Are you sick? Did you get hurt? Whatever it is we can _help_!” She begged David and Daniel and Jasper for answers, but David was too panicked to think of one, Daniel couldn’t come up with a good enough one, and Jasper was staring off into space with his arms crossed, a look on his face that suggested he wanted to be no part of this.

David hoped maybe they could get out of this, since at this rate surely Lanisha and Anna would just give up, but the only issue was Lanisha was damn smart and eerily observant. He always had to be extra careful around her, lest she catch onto something she shouldn’t. He feared she’d put two and two together pretty quickly.

“Jasper,” Anna whined, “Why aren’t you helping? You’re usually so invested in what’s going on!”

Jasper shrugged. “Don’t know anything.”

Anna sighed dramatically. Lanisha went silent, her hands on her hips. She looked between the three boys slowly, studying each of them.

David knew right then and there the jig was up.

Lanisha took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Her expression was blank. “David,” She spoke evenly, “You broke a rule, didn’t you?”

David didn’t answer.

“What’re the marks from, David?”

He ducked a little lower, hoping his neck would be hidden further in the scarf.

She waited for him to answer, but when he didn’t, she finally ended the charade. “You slept with Daniel, didn’t you?”

Jasper didn’t even blink. David cringed. Daniel glanced away. Anna was the only one who gasped. “What?! David wouldn’t do that! And they barely know each other!”

“Doesn’t matter. David won’t answer, Daniel’s making excuses for him, and Jasper is clearly pissed.”

“I’m not pissed.” Jasper muttered, “Why would I even be pissed? This is stupid.”

Lanisha scoffed, “Jas, literally _everyone_ can tell you have a massive crush on David, _except_ David.”

He huffed and looked away.

“Daniel slept with David, and he left those marks. They’re freaking hickeys!” She glared at Daniel, “Did you talk him into it??”

“What? Of course not!” Daniel said in shock, “I would _never_!”

Jasper gave him a mocking look, “You told me freakin’ yesterday that you instigated it.”

“ _Yesterday_?!” Lanisha practically yelled.

“They’ve done it like four times already.”

“What- _Daniel_!” Lanisha was furious.

Daniel opened his mouth to defend himself, but David cut him off. “Stop yelling at him! Yeah, he instigated it, but it’s not like I ever said no! He didn’t _force_ himself on me, for goodness sake!”

Anna gave him a skeptical look, “I don’t want to offend anyone, but, David, you’re very naive and, well, Daniel is clearly very, very intelligent. I think he could talk you into it-”

“He _didn’t_!” David snapped. In actuality, he supposed maybe Daniel had, but his previous point still stood. He hadn’t said no. He’d agreed. He’d wanted to do it. “I may be naive but I’m not _stupid_! I’m not some _man-child_! I’m twenty-four and I know what sex is! I lost my virginity in _high school_ , for goodness sake!” He noted the shocked expressions at that information, but pressed on. “I wasn’t scared and I don’t regret what we did! It’s just as much my fault as his, so stop trying to pin it all on him just because you don’t want to admit that I’m not some completely innocent, totally naive, _victim_!”

Silence.

Daniel was grinning, Jasper was still in shock at the outburst, and Anna and Lanisha had expressions mixed with surprise and guilt. After several seconds of silence, Lanisha spoke. “You’re right. I was mad at Daniel and not at you because I thought he’d taken advantage of you. I guess I see your bright, friendly, smiling face and think of you more like a kid than an adult. I shouldn’t do that.” She took a breath. “Considering then that you’re both equally at fault… You both broke a pretty strict rule…”

Anna cringed. “We can’t fire them… They’re both great counselors and we’d be short-handed the rest of the summer.”

“I know,” Lanisha nodded. “We won’t tell anyone and get you guys fired, as long as you _behave_. No more of this.”

“Of course,” Daniel nodded, “You have my word. No more sleeping together.”

“Same.” David agreed softly, “It won’t happen again. Promise.”

“Good.” Lanisha pointed at Daniel, “But, _you’re_ moving into _our_ cabin. Being just across the hall from one another is far too much temptation.”

“But-!” David tried to protest.

Daniel put a hand on his shoulder, “It’s alright, David. I think that would be best too. We can still see each other all day! We do both work right here, after all.”

Reluctantly, David agreed. Soon enough, Daniel’s keys were swapped and he was moved into the other cabin with Anna and Lanisha. Jasper wouldn’t stop smiling. David could barely fake one. 

After dark, they made a big fire and everyone sat around it cooking smores. Lanisha started a round of scary stories. David wasn't particularly good at telling scary stories, so he usually sat out. Truth was, he could certainly tell some pretty horrific stories, mostly centering around what exactly he fantasized about doing to other people, but sharing that was obviously a very bad idea.

Lanisha told a story about Bigfoot chasing campers, Anna about vampires settling into a new town with new victims, and Jasper about a ghost haunting an island on a lake. Each one was meant to be scary, but PG so the campers would be more entertained than terrified. 

Daniel’s story, however, was a bit more… unsettling. A mountain cracking open to reveal human-shaped holes, people being drawn in by what they believed were holes shaped-like and meant for specifically them, those same people disappearing inside the holes never to return, and finally in the end the discovery of where they holes led; ending as grotesque, twisted deformities of what they had been in the beginning, the people inside slowly sliding out as elongated, horrifying versions of their former selves.

The younger kids seemed more confused than scared, but the older ones that tried to laugh it off had looks in their faces that suggested they were highly disturbed by what had been described. Anna had a horrified look on her face, Jasper seemed mildly disgusted at best, and Lanisha was unimpressed but clearly irritated. David? Well, David was intrigued, both by the way Daniel had told the story, and how subtly fucked-up it was. The only thing he was really disturbed by was the fact that his infatuation with Daniel suddenly felt stronger. He really was pretty messed up in the head, wasn’t he?

They did another round of more light-hearted stories before sending the campers off to bed. The counselors walked to their cabins together, then parted ways in front of them. David and Jasper entered their cabin silently, locking the door behind them.

“You’re mad at me, aren’t you?” Jasper asked softly. “I don’t blame you. I shouldn’t have ratted you guys out like that… I’m sorry…” He hung his head.

David examined him a moment, then sighed softly. “I forgive you, Jasper. It’s probably for the best we were separated… I know he wouldn’t have asked for sex again, but… I might’ve…” He admitted almost shamefully.

Jasper looked hurt. “You like him that much?”

“Yeah, I… I _really_ like him, Jasper…. He wants to hang out after camp, like- like dating. I’m pretty excited….”

Jasper’s shoulders drooped. “Wow, he… made asking you out look really easy… Swept you off your feet in two days and I couldn’t work up the nerve to ask you out in two years.”

David cringed and patted Jasper’s shoulder. “I’m sorry you’re hurt, Jas. He’s just my type though, and you’re… not….”

“I know,” He sighed, then offered a small, sad smile, “I’m happy for you though, Davy. I hope it works out. I want you to be happy, even if it’s not with me. You’re my best friend!”

David smiled. “Thanks! I hope it does too!” He opened his arms, silently asking if Jasper would like a hug. Jasper embraced him tightly, and David happily returned it. A relaxed sigh escaped him. He was so lucky to have such a great best friend.

An hour later, David was immersed in the beginnings of a book when there was a knock at his window. He put the book down and headed over with a quirked brow. The curtains slid open and the pane was pushed up.

“Evening, David.” Daniel grinned and leaned on the sill.

David was smiling from ear to ear. “Daniel! I’m happy to see you!”

“I can tell!” Daniel chuckled, then grew serious. “I’m so sorry about earlier, David. I didn’t mean to get you in so much trouble. I shouldn’t have been so aggressive last night. I should have been better prepared for questions.”

David’s smile softened. “No, it’s okay. I really liked how aggressive you were last night. It was amazing. It stinks that we got caught, but at least it wasn’t worse. We didn’t lose our jobs and we still get to hang out!”

“Mm, very true. I love how you positive you are, David.”

“Thanks! I- I love a lot of things about you, Daniel…” David’s face tinted pink and his smile turned shy.

Daniel was grinning again. “Same to you, handsome.” He reached in and caught David’s chin, “How about a goodnight kiss?”

David needed no coercing. He pressed their lips together in a gentle kiss. Daniel’s hands caressed his cheeks and pulled him in deeper. He melted into it.

It came to an end too soon. A light was shined on them, and Lanisha gave a forceful cough. “Back to the cabin, Daniel.” 

They parted and Daniel smiled softly at him, “Goodnight, David. Sleep well.”

“You too. Goodnight.” David practically had hearts in his eyes. He watched them leave with a sad expression. When they were out of view, he sighed, closed his window and curtains, and returned to his book.

### 

The next day was uneventful. They taught the campers how to build and start a fire, let them eat some wild fruits, practiced tying different knots, and helped them climb trees safely. A basic wilderness survival course.

Daniel had to shadow Lanisha rather than David, but they still got to see one another and work together. 

When the sun sat again and everyone had gone to bed, David figured he would be the only one up late. The book was getting good, and he was engrossed in it and up later than he probably should have been.

He was tugged out of his engrossed state by a knock on his window. With a massive smile, he put the book down and practically ran to the window. When he opened the curtains and the pane, he wasn’t surprised to see Daniel, dressed in his pajamas.

“Evening, Davy.” Daniel greeted as he gripped the sill, “Step back.”

“Huh?” David stepped away from the window and was shocked when Daniel climbed in. “Oh! Uh, does Lanisha-”

“Hush, love.” Daniel closed the window and shut the curtains. “I snuck out. I wanted to see you. I want to lay with you and just… hold you and talk for a while.”

David was over the moon. He turned off all the lights and led Daniel to the bed. They slipped under the blankets together and held each other close. David melted against Daniel’s chest. The heartbeat in his ear and arms wrapped around him were so incredibly comforting. Daniel buried his nose in David’s hair and took a deep breath. “You smell so good…” He whispered. “Like the wilderness after a good rain. I love it.”

“You’re so sweet, Daniel… and smart and kind and charming…”

“Only a fraction of what you are though.”

David sighed dreamily, “And so good with words…”

Daniel chuckled and the rumble it caused in his chest had butterflies in David’s stomach. “You’ve no clue how charming you are, Davy.” He ran his fingers gently across David’s arm, absent-mindedly tracing patterns back and forth. “You’re so kind and thoughtful. You really like helping people, don’t you?”

“I do.” David hummed, “It’s the right thing to do.”

“I like to help too. I was raised being taught the best way to help…”

“In your compound?” 

“Mhm.”

“It was a religious compound, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, it was.”

“Your stories are really… interesting.”

“They’re what I was raised on. They’re not just stories to me, they’re what we believe.”

“You’re going to want me to join your church, aren’t you?”

Daniel chuckled softly. “I would never make you do anything you didn’t want to do. I’d love it if you’d join, but I understand your hesitance. It’s okay. I was just hoping you might help me help others see the light…”

“See the light? How can I do that if I don’t believe?”

Daniel hummed. His fingers dragged upward and caressed David’s hand. “You don’t have to believe what I do. I just need someone to assist with the more difficult task of ascension.”

“Ascension…?” The word struck a chord with him. It sounded like something far more insidious than just converting someone to a new religion.

Gently, almost soothingly, Daniel kissed David’s forehead on his hairline. “Davy, Davy, Davy… I can see right through you, you know? I know you want to hurt people. I know you enjoy killing things.”

David went rigid. He tried to pull his hand away, but Daniel gripped it tightly.

“Shhhshshshh… It’s okay… You and I are so alike… I understand you, Davy, more than anyone else ever will… We’re so good together… We’d be an amazing team…”

David relaxed a little. “Have you… hurt people before…?”

“Mhm, but not as often as I’ve helped them ascend…”

“Helping people ascend means… that they wouldn’t be around anymore…”

“Correct. They move to a higher plane of existence.”

“How do you help them ascend?”

“Poison.”

David’s heart sped up. He squeezed Daniel’s hand. “The party.”

“Mhm. I plan to help your campers and fellow counselors ascend at our little party tomorrow.”

“What happens after that? We’ll go to prison. I-I don’t want to be locked up-”

“Ssshhh, it’s okay. We won’t get caught. I’ve done this before. I know what I’m doing. It’s so easy, David. After the party we just drive away, move on to another camp and help _them_ ascend. We could do it for years and years. Just the two of us. Wouldn’t you love it? I’d keep you safe, I promise. I never break a promise, remember?”

Daniel’s voice was gentle but so sure. David couldn’t help but trust him. “I… I want that. I want to help people ascend. I want to be with you.”

“I knew you would. I knew I could put my trust in you, Davy. You’re so special.” He kissed his head and nuzzled his hair.

David’s heart was racing and his stomach fluttering. “Thank you… What- what should I do tomorrow?”

“Nothing. I’ll take care of everything. I just want you on my side, and to know when it’s over that you’ll be safe with me. Just don’t tell anyone, and don’t be afraid to drink from the cup I give you. You’ll be safe, I promise. I want you by my side for a long, long time.”

David melted, and he knew he would be happy to spend the rest of his life with this man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story Daniel is telling is a short Japanese comic; The Enigma of Amigara Fault. Gus mentioned it on a Podcast a few years ago. If you google it, you can find the full, translated comic. Yes, it’s unsettling, and I absolutely love it.
> 
> Thank you all again so much for the comments! They give me so much encouragement, inspiration, motivation, and joy! You guys are the best <3 <3 <3


	6. Ascension

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for the wonderful comments!! They keep me inspired!! <3 <3
> 
> Also, I'm going to have to write some Jaspdanvid to make up for this chapter. (Yes, I ship all three of them. I fucking LOVE them, no matter what may or may not happen to poor Jasper in this chapter)

David was woken up by kisses. They peppered his face and neck, making him giggle and squirm. Lips met his in a deep kiss that finally brought him completely out of the daze of sleep. He pulled Daniel closer. His hand slipped under his shirt, caressing his smooth stomach. It slid lower, until it was tugging at the hem of Daniel’s pants.

Daniel broke the kiss. “Ah-ah, I promised, remember?”

“Everyone’s going to be dead by the end of the day. Camp is basically over. Please?” David begged with a slight pout.

Daniel’s eyes seemed to darken. “Careful now, Davy. I’m not sure I could ever say ‘no’ to you.”

David licked his lips in anticipation. “Then don’t.”

### 

With trembling legs, David followed Daniel quietly out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. They quickly washed off a bit with a couple of rags and the sink, and fixed their hair so it wasn’t incredibly obvious what they’d been up to for the last twenty minutes. After leaving the bathroom, they headed down the hall to the main room so David could see Daniel out.

They both tensed when they saw Jasper in the kitchen, sitting on a barstool and munching on toast. He looked at them, but his tired expression didn’t change. “Mornin.”

“Morning, Jasper.” Daniel greeted with a smile, “I just stopped by to chat with David for a bit-”

“Yeah, okay.” He swallowed. “I’ve been up for fifteen minutes. I know how much ‘chatting’ you were doing. I don’t care. You better get back to your cabin before Lanisha wakes up though.” He took another bite.

“Right. Thank you.” Daniel gave him a nod. He turned and quickly kissed David. “I’ll see you later.”

“Okay.” David replied dumbly. “Uh, bye, be careful.”

Daniel chuckled and winked at him, then left. David stared at the door for several seconds, then looked at Jasper. “You… won’t tell?”

“Nah.” Jasper replied between chewing. “It’s a dumb rule anyway.”

### 

After lunch, Daniel excused himself to work solo in the kitchen on the large amount of kool-aid needed, along with some chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies that would be a nice extra treat. No one thought it suspicious, but David knew why Daniel was working alone. 

Later that afternoon they were all summoned to the dining hall. Daniel had set every spot, each with a cup, one chocolate chip cookie, and one oatmeal raisin cookie. The kids excitedly grabbed seats with their friends.

Daniel was at a table at the head of the others. He waved his co-counselors over and gestured for them to take particular seats. Again, no one thought this suspicious. Daniel was at the end of the table, with David then Jasper on his left, and Lanisha then Anna on his right.

“This is really impressive, Daniel!” Lanisha commented as she took her seat.

“Thank you, Lanisha! I really wanted to do as much as I could, since I know I’m already on thin ice!”

“Aw,” She gave him a sympathetic look, “You really didn’t have to… Sorry I had to get harsh with you.”

“Oh, no hard feelings at all!” Daniel reassured with a wave of his hand, “It was certainly within your right, and really it was for the best anyway! Thank you for allowing me to continue working here!”

“You’re welcome. We really are happy to have you!” She picked up her cup and took a long sip. Anna had already finished a cookie. Jasper had taken his cookies apart and was trying to construct one large Frankencookie. 

David stared at his drink. Could he really trust Daniel? He seemed to have no reservations about killing the rest of the camp, so why was David any different? Then again, if he planned on killing David anyway, why bother telling him about the plot and risk being stopped?

“David, are you okay?” Daniel asked gently. He put a hand on David’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“Oh,” David blinked out of his daze. “Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry.” He picked up his cup, hesitated, then drank. 

Lanisha put her cup down and looked between them. “So… are you two… still into each other?”

Daniel smiled broadly and gripped David’s hand. “Certainly! We’ve decided to use this summer as our ‘talking’ phase and we might start dating afterward… I hope so, anyway.”

David put his cup down and smiled shyly. “Me too.” He reached over with his other hand and put it on top of Daniel’s, only to have Daniel do the same a moment later. They both giggled and clutched each other's hands.

“Awww,” Anna cooed. Her eyes slid over to Jasper. 

He’d given up making his giant cookie and was just tossing chunks into his mouth. He quirked a brow at her. “What? Am I supposed to be mad? Davy and I already talked about it and I hope it works out for them.”

It was about that time the first camper let out a little whine and laid their head down on the table. A few more followed, but the counselors didn’t notice until more than half the kids were unmoving. They looked like they were napping, but their bodies failed to shift with breaths. Some campers seemed to be fighting it, like fighting off sleep. Their heads would droop, then yank upwards, then finally just fall to the table. Others just folded their arms on the table and settled in, figuring this would just be a nice little nap. None of them would ever wake again though.

Lanisha and Anna were out of their seats in a second, grabbing at campers and calling their names and begging to know what was wrong. Jasper had a panicked look on his face, but was doing his best to remain calm while checking pulses.

Anna was the next to go down. She swayed and let out a gasp, then just collapsed on the ground with a thud. Lanisha screamed and fell to her knees beside her. “Anna?! ANNA!” She shook her desperately. Jasper jumped the table to get to them, but just as he was crouching on Anna’s other side, Lanisha became breathless. “Jas…” Was her final gasp as she slowly laid down on the floor. She stopped moving, stopped breathing. Her eyes stared into nothing.

David had already stood and was circling behind Daniel to get to his co-counselors. Daniel stood and grabbed David’s arm. He pulled him closer, then withdrew a knife from seemingly out of thin air. He handed it to David. 

“Wh-what’s this?” David gripped it. The blade was long and crooked.

Daniel smiled sadly at him. “Davy, I’m so sorry to have to do this to you, but you have to understand that I need to know, without a doubt, that I can trust you. I really believe I can, but I have to be sure. Finish the job, David.” He grabbed David’s shoulders and spun him around.

Jasper was on his feet again, hands in his hair in utter panic. “Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck! David, we have to call nine one…” The words died on his lips when he turned around to find David holding a knife, Daniel right behind him with the most demented smile Jasper had ever seen. His heart lurched and his stomach twisted. Without much thought, he took a few quick steps forward and grabbed David’s arms. “David get away from him! Run!”

Things clicked into place pretty quickly for David. It was funny how fast the mind could work, how many concepts could fly by in the matter of a second. Jasper’s drink had never been poisoned. David had to kill him, or this whole thing would fall apart. 

The realization didn’t hurt. He was fine with it. There were a lot of things he thought he wanted to say to Jasper -‘you’re a great friend,’ ‘this isn’t personal,’ ‘sorry it had to end this way’- but in the end it didn’t really matter, did it? Jasper would be dead and gone. Nothing he experienced prior to death would mean a damn thing to him, because he simply would no longer exist. It would only matter to those still alive, and to David these things didn’t really matter at all.

The motion was fast, David felt the resistance of flesh and muscle, and the light scrape of tip brushing bone. The sudden flow of blood that splattered the floor was a surprise, but not an unpleasant one. Jasper gasped and gripped his throat, but blood still poured out from between his fingers and from the sides of the massive gash. He staggered backward, still gasping desperately, only to begin choking and coughing violently a moment later as he fell to his knees. His eyes were wide, terrified, and his whole body shook. He hit the ground still clutching his neck.

It felt like an eternity that David watched his former best friend writhe and choke and drown on his own blood. It was gruesome and violent, more so than David had ever witnessed with any animal. There was so much blood… It pooled around Jasper and all over him and made trails in cracks in the wood floor. Finally, Jasper stilled. He became silent and unmoving, his hands still around his neck and eyes still wide open in horror.

The room was quiet.

Daniel's hands squeezed David's shoulders. “I knew you could do it.” He spoke in his ear, “I knew I could put my complete faith in you, Davy. How do you feel? Did you enjoy it?” His hand slid down David's arm and gripped the hand gripping the knife.

David had a lot of words for how _good_ it felt, but all he could say was, “I want to do it again.” There was still a thrill running through him and his heart was racing. He itched to sink the knife into someone else.

Daniel chuckled softly and kissed David's neck. “My my, if I'd known you'd be so eager I would have left your two other co-counselors unpoisoned as well. Don't worry though, you'll have your opportunity again very soon.”

“When?” The reply was short, almost demanding.

Daniel’s fingers tangled with David’s over the knife, giving him a better grip. David had to wonder if, perhaps, Daniel was a little afraid of him at the moment.

“Soon, I promise. Either tonight or tomorrow. We have to leave and get on the road, but if I see a good opportunity to get a you a victim, I will, I promise.” 

“Okay.” David loosened his grip on the knife and let Daniel take it from him. He turned around and watched Daniel clean the knife off with a napkin. “Do we have to clean up the entire place?”

“No, we can leave it all as-is and we’ll leave the doors and windows open when we leave. It’s unlikely anyone will discover this any sooner than a month. Nature will hinder the investigation for us.” He offered David his hand with a smile. “Come on. Let’s pack up and get out of here. We can take your car, right?”

David nodded and took his hand. “Yeah. We won’t even have to get gas anytime soon.”

“Perfect.” Daniel laced their fingers together. “I knew from the moment I saw you we were meant to be together, Davy, and we’ll be together for a long, long time. I promise.”

David’s heart fluttered and he smiled brighter than the sun.

### 

An hour later they were on the road. They had a couple of suitcases in the trunk, some pillows and blankets in the backseat, and an ice chest full of drinks and snacks in the backseat floorboard. They had no intention of stopping for a good several hours.

The radio was kept low, and the sunlight was gently trickling in through the trees behind them. David was at ease, all his fears of being caught having been soothed by Daniel’s sweet promises. He kept both hands on the wheel -safety first!- but Daniel had one arm resting on the door and a hand resting on David’s leg. Their conversation flowed naturally, with Daniel discussing plans for the future that stretched into the next several years, and David eagerly agreeing to everything and pitching a few of his own ideas. Places they each wanted to see, states they hoped to cross through, methods of murder they each wanted to try. 

David felt happy and accepted and cared for. One hand eventually left the wheel so he could hold Daniel’s, lacing their fingers together. Daniel squeezed and leaned over to gently kiss his cheek. “I’m so happy we met, Davy.” He said softly, “I feel so _complete_ with you.”

“I feel the same way about you, Danny.” David glanced at him, wondering how he might react at the nickname. “Can I call you that?”

Daniel’s brows rose in surprise. He pursed his lips in thought for a moment, then smiled warmly, “You may call me that if you like, Davy. I like hearing it in your voice.”

“Th-thank you!” David smiled, elated. 

Daniel chuckled softly and rested his head on David’s shoulder.

### 

It was nearing midnight by the time they pulled off the road and down a narrow trail that led off into the forest. David followed Daniel’s directions and parked between some trees, where it would be difficult to spot them if you weren’t looking for them. “No hotel?” He asked as he shut off the car.

“Not tonight. I want to get a little further.” Daniel explained. They were an impressive distance from camp, but David could understand his desire to be careful. He killed the lights, plunging them into darkness. Moonlight through the trees was barely enough to see.

Daniel unbuckled them both. His hand tangled in David’s hair and suddenly their lips were pressed together in a forceful kiss. David moaned into it, then again louder when Daniel palmed his crotch. He rubbed it eagerly and lightly bit down on David’s lower lip. 

David whimpered and squirmed. “Danny?”

“Ever had sex in a car?” Daniel’s voice was rough, full of lust.

“No…”

“Get your ass in the backseat.” 

David didn’t need to be told twice. He yanked the handle and fell out of the car. 

Daniel laughed, “Are you alright, love?”

“Fine!” David scrambled to his feet and shut the door. He climbed into the back and soon Daniel was right beside him. They locked the doors and shoved the blankets aside. 

Getting undressed was a chore in the tight space. They ended up knocking into each other and the windows a number of times. By the time the clothes were off, they were both laughing. Daniel kissed David all over his face, whispering words of praise as he did so. David pulled him close and pressed their lips together.

Soon enough, Daniel was seated in the middle, and David was carefully lowering himself. When the head entered, he gasped softly at the wonderful sensation. His hands against the roof, he shoved, burying the rest of Daniel’s girthy cock inside him. The moan that left him was painfully loud in the silent car. He pushed hard on the ceiling, pressing himself down with as much force as he could muster, burying Daniel’s dick as deep as it could go.

Heaven. Everything tingled and he was already panting like a dog just grinding his hips. Daniel kissed his back and gripped his waist. “You love it deep, don’t you?”

“Yes…” David replied, breathless.

“And you love it when I fuck you, don’t you?”

“Yes…!”

“Mm,” Daniel nipped the back of his neck, “Such a good boy, Davy. Show me how much you love this dick. Ride me like you need it.” 

The dirty talk sent a thrill through David. With a moan he began thrusting, pushing back and forth with his arms and legs to repeatedly impale himself. The position didn’t let him get the speed he wanted, however, nor the versatile movement. He stopped, panting. “Danny, will you fuck me please?”

Daniel groaned and pulled his hips down. “You want me to wreck your tight little ass?”

A moan. “Yes, please, Danny!”

“Beg for it.”

David bit his lip and whined. “Please fuck me ‘til I can’t walk, Daniel! I need it so bad! Please fuck my brains out!” When had it become this easy to cuss? Maybe he was just that wild for Daniel’s cock.

Moments later, it was David laying in the seat and Daniel knelt between his legs. His thrusts were short, quick, deep, and painful. David’s nails dug into his back, his desperate howls of pleasure emanating from the car. They held one another tightly as they came together, both seeing stars. 

By the time they finished, all the windows were fogged over. David’s legs felt like jello. Daniel was gentle with him as he pulled out and better situated them for a good night’s sleep. They put pillows against the doors and front seats, then pulled in blankets for extra padding and covers.

Daniel slipped between David and the seat and hugged him against his chest. “How are you feeling?”

“Amazing.” David hummed. He held Daniel’s arms against his chest.

“Good.” Daniel kissed his neck. “Get some rest. Sweet dreams.”

“Sweet dreams.” David whispered. With the warm blankets surrounding them, Daniel's arms embracing him, and his chest solid against his back, David was asleep in seconds.


	7. Meant to Be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of stuff going on in this chapter, mainly because I did not feel like splitting any of this into separate chapters. Be sure to read the notes at the end!

Shortly before lunch time they finally had to pull over for gas. The town was small and old, it's buildings cracked and crumbling and faded. There was a diner across from the gas station, so after David filled up the car they drove over and parked. The diner was just as old as the other buildings, with it's broken linoleum and crooked walls, but it was brightly lit, clean, and the people were friendly. 

They sat in a booth in the corner. David ordered a breakfast meal of scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Daniel ordered a steak, medium-rare, with a side of fries. He drizzled said fries with honey-mustard. They each tried bites of the others meal, sharing them with out a second thought. It just seemed to be natural between them.

“Danny?” David asked as he cut off another piece of pancake.

“Yes, Davy?” Daniel smiled at him.

David poked at the piece of pancake nervously. “You promised I could… I could have someone else soon… Can we get someone today?”

“Of _course_ , darling.” Daniel reached across the table and gripped David's hand. “I've been waiting for a good opportunity to present itself, but if it doesn't by dinner time I'll go find one myself, promise. I haven't forgotten.” He squeezed his hand reassuringly. 

David smiled and squeezed back. “Thank you.” 

An hour of good food and great conversation later, they were back on the road. Daniel pulled a map out of his suitcase that already had other summer camps circled. They plotted their course to the nearest one and adjusted their current route accordingly. The road they were headed down was empty and led straight through miles and miles of farmland. Cows and fields as far as the eye could see. A few barns dotted the landscape, though most of them looked decrepit and abandoned. 

They passed a car on the side of the road. It looked relatively new and judging by the smoke pouring out from under the shut hood it likely hadn’t been there too long.

“Slow down.” Daniel instructed.

David eased off the gas, letting the car slow naturally. As they topped a hill, a lone figure was visible at the bottom, walking leisurely just off the road. The figure glanced over it’s shoulder, then held out an arm with thumb extended.

“Pull over.” Daniel grinned, “An opportunity has presented itself. Do everything I say.”

David’s heart raced and he couldn’t contain a crooked, almost crazed smile. He pulled to a stop a few feet in front of the stranger. His hands gripped the wheel tightly, trembling.

Daniel climbed out of the car. “Afternoon, stranger!”

The hitchhiker stopped. It was a man in his early thirties with dirty blonde hair. “Uh, hi!” He greeted with a nod, “My car broke down like a mile back and my phone’s dead. Can I just get a ride to the next town so I can use a phone and have someone pick me up there?”

“Sure thing!” Daniel happily yanked the back door open and leaned in.

“Thanks, man! I appreciate it-”

Daniel grabbed the tire iron under the passenger seat. In one swift motion he straightened and struck the man across the head. He hit the ground with a thud and groaned in pain. Daniel quickly tossed the tire iron back into the car, then grabbed the man by his shirt. “Don’t mention it, friend!” Again, David was reminded that Daniel was stronger than he looked. The blonde easily lifted the limp man and shoved him into the backseat. He slammed the door, then climbed into the passenger seat. “Drive.”

David hit the gas and pulled back onto the road. His hands were still trembling and it wasn’t until Daniel was gently shushing him that he realized he’d started giggling like a madman.

“Sshh, relax Davy. You have to learn to keep your composure, or we’ll get caught far too quickly. Deep breaths. You’ll get to have at him soon.” Daniel rubbed his leg soothingly.

David took a deep breath and relaxed. He moved his fingers so they wouldn’t be so tense. His heart was still racing and he was still grinning, but he was more composed. He took one hand off the wheel and grasped the hand caressing his leg. “Where are we taking him?”

“Just drive. I’ll find a place.”

David nodded and squeezed his hand.

They drove for a few minutes, the man in the back slowly growing more aware of what was happening. “Where am I? Who are you? What’s going on?” He mumbled different questions weakly.

“No worries, friend!” Daniel turned around and smiled at him, “You fell. We’re taking you to the hospital.”

“You _hit_ me…!” The man began trying to sit up, at which point Daniel pulled that crooked knife from seemingly nowhere again.

“ _ **Lay down**_.” His voice was a stern snarl. “We’re robbing you. Cooperate, and you won’t get hurt. Understand, _friend_?” 

The man whimpered and laid back down. “Please don’t hurt me! You can have my money! Just let me out here and you can have everything I’ve got and I won’t tell a soul!”

“Ah-ah,” Daniel waved the knife, “Too open here, and too likely someone else will come along too soon. We’ve got to take you elsewhere. Now, no more arguing, or I might just have to cut your tongue out!” The way he said it was playful, but it was a very real threat. Daniel turned back around. The man whimpered and stayed quiet.

They drove a few more miles before Daniel gestured to a gravel road, “Turn here.”

David did so, and another mile or two later Daniel directed him to pull up to a crumbling old barn. He parked in back in some high grass where they would be difficult to spot. They climbed out of the car, and Daniel dragged the poor victim out of the backseat. “ _ **Walk**_.” He snarled and gabbed the knife at him.

The man scrambled to his feet. They headed over to a gap in the barn wall. David was instructed to go first, so he did. He ducked to enter and found himself inside a dusty, rotting husk. There were still tools on the wall and hay in corners, but it all looked like it hadn’t been touched in several years. It smelled of mold and wet wood.

The man was forced in next, then Daniel followed. He forced the man to the middle of the barn. “On your knees.”

“Please,” The man begged as he fell to his knees, “Just take my money and whatever else you want, I don’t care I just wanna go home.” There were tears running down his face.

Daniel didn’t acknowledge his plea. “Davy,” He called sweetly, “Will you grab that chain hanging there and bring it to me, please?”

There was a long, narrow chain on the wall between many tools. David grabbed it, then spotted a sickle. It’s handle was slightly crooked, and the long blade was mostly straight with a hint of a curve. It was rusty, but still looked sharp. David grabbed it too, then grabbed a large hammer that was beside it. He carried them over to Daniel and presented the chain.

Daniel eyed the weapons with a crazed smile. “Oh, Davy, you’re just full of wonderful surprises, aren’t you?” He took the chain and wrapped it around the man’s wrists, pinning them behind his back.

“Please just take my money!” The man begged, “You can have my wallet and my keys! You can take everything in my car! It’s got my laptop and a custom radio! Please!!”

Daniel chuckled. “We don’t want your money.” He put his foot in the middle of the man’s back and shoved him to the ground. “Do whatever you want with him, my dear,” He said to David, “No one’s going to hear his screams out here. We’ve all the time in the world.”

The man flipped onto his back and scrambled backward as fast as he could, his shoes scraping the wood as he kicked his feet in panic. David took two steps toward him and swung the hammer. It cracked across one knee cap, drawing a scream from his victim. With ease, he brought the hammer right back and busted the other knee. Screaming and writhing in agony were his rewards. 

“PLEASE STOP!” The man screamed, “PLEASE _please_ just take my money!! I won't tell anyone _I swear to God_!”

Daniel laughed. “You aren't swearing on the same God I believe in and Davy here doesn't believe at all, so you're out of luck, friend!”

The hammer hit the man's hip next and he was screaming again. David slammed the hammer down down down over and over and over, breaking every bone he could get to. They snapped and burst out of skin. David cackling between swings.

Once he was satisfied with the bruised and broken state of the man, who was now sobbing uncontrollably, he dropped the hammer and picked up the sickle. 

“Please…” The man gasped weakly. 

The sickle was buried in the center of his torso, right below his ribcage. It was yanked downward, and wasn’t quite sharp enough to cut the skin, but did a good job ripping the flesh apart and tearing at the organs. Blood burst from the massive wound every time the man coughed and choked and struggled. David ripped open the sides of the wound, creating a large, gory plus-sign in his torso. The wooden floor was starting to swell from all the blood soaking into it’s dry boards.

David tore at the corners of the wound, creating a hole. It was a little difficult to be accurate with the man struggling so violently, but David didn’t care too much about that, and he enjoyed the feel of him writhing in agony. The sickle sank into organs next and he pulled, ripping them out of their warm cavity. Blood splattered his clothes and arms and face. It was warm and smelled of copper. He liked it.

By the time David started stringing intestines out, the struggling had slowed. The man was barely conscious and was quickly fading. David dropped the sickle and grabbed the hammer again. It’s handle was slippery from blood. David gripped it tightly and slammed it across his victim’s face. Teeth scattered across the floor and the bottom jaw was torn apart. The man gurgled a few more times, then fell still and silent. His eyes were bloodshot as they stared into nothingness.

David was panting and trembling. The hammer slipped from his hand and hit the floor. Footsteps behind him made the floor creak. Hands on his shoulders. Lips on the back of his neck.

“Did you have fun, Davy?” Daniel breathed against his neck.

David shivered. “Yes… when do I get to do it again?”

A laugh. “You're insatiable. I like that… I noticed too that you're left handed.”

“Yes.”

“Me too. We really were made for each other.”

David hummed. He relaxed more when Daniel began massaging his shoulders.

“We need to get you cleaned up. You can’t very well get back in the car all bloody.” Daniel kissed the back of David’s head and breathed in his scent. “Get those clothes off, and I’ll be right back.” Another kiss to the back of the neck, then he was gone. The wood creaked as he walked away.

David stared at the mutilated body for several moments, recalling fresh memories of tearing into flesh and those wonderful screams of agony. He decided his blood lust was satisfied for the moment, but he was already looking forward to next time.

He took a deep breath to steady himself, then began removing clothes. He pulled his shirt over his head and used the clean back to wipe his face and chest, where blood had soaked through the shirt onto his skin. It was then tossed to the floor. He took his shoes off and stood on the shirt, then removed his pants. His legs were bloodier than his torso had been, and he wasn’t able to get them clean as much as he just smeared blood around. 

Daniel returned a minute later with a wet pillowcase and a bottle of water. He gently wiped some blood from David’s face, then pressed it to his chest.

David yelped and jerked away, giggling, “That’s cold!”

Daniel grinned and pressed it more firmly against his chest. “All we had was cold water in the ice chest.” He had to grab David’s arm and pull him closer to clean him. David giggled and squirmed as the cloth rubbed his sides, tickling him. The moment became playful, and ended with gentle kisses.

Eventually, David was clean, and Daniel fetched him clean clothes from his suitcase. They made a little fire and burned the bloody clothes until they were ashes, then used a rusty old shovel to bury them. The hammer and scythe were burned as well, doing nothing to the metal but scorching the wood enough that no fingerprints or DNA would ever be found. 

The body was left as it was; a mangled heap of guts in a rotting barn.

In ten minutes they were back on the main road, heading east. Daniel had the map out again, charting their course.

“Oh! Oh! Oh!” David bounced in his seat, one hand tapping the wheel in excitement, “If we’re on 112, and we’re passing Asheville, can we stop and see the Mystery House? I’ve heard there was one up here but I’ve never gone to see it!”

Daniel chuckled and patted David’s leg, “Absolutely. We can grab a bite to eat then go see it. I think we can still get to the camp before nightfall. We’ll grab a motel in the nearest town, then head into the camp tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, boy! I can’t _wait_! We’re going to have so much _fun_!” David was beaming and so caught up in his excitement he didn’t see Daniel’s grin melt into an absolutely smitten look.

### 

The motel wasn’t anything impressive, but it was a comfortable and private place to spend the night. David showered first. The water ran slightly pink from whatever blood they’d missed. When he was done, he wrapped himself in a towel and collapsed on the bed. Curled up on his side, he watched The Nature Channel while Daniel showered.

A few minutes later, Daniel stepped out of the bathroom with nothing on but a shit-eating grin. 

David turned off the television and rolled onto his back, shedding his towel in the process. Legs spread. Teeth nibbled nervously on a bottom lip.

Daniel sauntered over. He put one knee on the bed between David’s legs, then leaned over and pressed his hands against the bed on either side of his head. “Finally,” He purred, “All mine, all alone, where no one will interrupt us…” He cupped David’s cheek and stroked it slowly with his thumb. “And all these cute freckles too… You are stunning, you know that?”

David blushed and smiled shyly. “You’re so sweet. I think you’re stunning too… Your eyes are amazing…”

Daniel chuckled softly and leaned in. He pressed a soft kiss on the corner of David’s mouth, then planted butterfly kisses all over his face. David laughed, loving the gentle affections. He cupped Daniel’s face and kissed him deeply. Daniel’s hands shifted to David’s hips, squeezing them. 

The kisses trailed downward. Teeth soon joined them. Daniel bit down on neck and collar and chest, leaving red marks. David was already moaning and hard and squirming underneath him. “Danny, please…”

Daniel hummed against his chest and bit down on a nipple. David jerked, yelping, and grabbed Daniel’s shoulders. The blonde rolled his teeth gently back and forth, basking in the way David was whimpering and arching. He did the same to the other nipple, giving it a little tug as well. David mewled. 

Daniel kissed his lips again, then grinned down at him. “Don’t go anywhere, love.”

“You know I won’t.” David hummed and let his hands flop to his sides.

Daniel left him to go to his suitcase. He found his lubricant, and continued digging for condoms, but came up empty. “Shit,” He cursed, “I guess I’m out of condoms…”

David arched his back and tilted his head so he could see Daniel. “So? Come over here. I _need_ you…” There was a whine in his tone.

Daniel nibbled his lip. “I could throw some pants on and run across the street. The convenience store-”

“Daannyyyyy,” David whined, “We’re going to be together for a long, long time, right? You promised we would. So why do we need condoms? Please, I don’t wanna wait…”

That seemed to be a good enough argument. Daniel was back between his legs a moment later, his fingers slick and cold with lube. He buried two inside David, making the redhead moan and quiver. His fingers worked hard against that spot again. Pleasure went straight to David’s head and made his legs tremble and his body writhe. Daniel pressed a firm hand to his abdomen, forcing him to be still. Daniel continued roughly milking his prostate, smirking as his lover squirmed and panted his name.

It took only minutes for David to orgasm. His hands tore at the sheets as a loud moan was ripped from his throat. His body stiffened and trembled. Daniel eased his torture, making slow circles around the sensitive glands to prolong the orgasm.

Finally, David was left panting and shaking and weak. Daniel chuckled and gently massaged his inner thighs. “Did you enjoy that, Davy?” He slid one hand up and gently gripped David’s cock. It was still hard, just as Daniel had expected.

David whimpered and his legs jerked when his dick was touched. “What _was_ that?” It had certainly been an orgasm, but it somehow felt _different_ from the others.

“Prostate orgasm,” Daniel explained while slowly stroking David. “It doesn’t cause ejaculation most of the time, allowing for multiple orgasms.”

“O-oh,” Was all David could manage.

Soon, his legs were hiked up and he could feel Daniel’s hot cock pressing against his entrance. He whimpered when the head slid in, then let out a long, lewd moan as the rest of Daniel’s girth sheathed itself deep inside him. Daniel pressed hard against him and grinding his hips, giving David the sensations he knew he wanted. That amazing, deep pressure that made David light-headed and tingly all over. 

“Rough or gentle?” Daniel asked, though he already knew David liked it hard.

“Choke me,” David gasped before he could stop himself. His face tinted redder than it already had been. “I mean- I-I like it when you’re rough with me at night, then we make love in the morning… Like our first night together…”

Daniel shuddered with a shaky breath. “Oh, you know exactly what to say to really turn me on, don’t you? We were made for one another…” He slid one hand slowly up David’s body, then gripped his neck. “I’m just going to push up, okay? You’ll still be able to breathe, but it’ll feel like I’m choking you. Slap my arm if you want me to let go, okay?” 

“Okay…” David swallowed just before Daniel’s hand pressed more firmly against his neck. Like he’d said, he was able to press his hand hard under David’s jaw without cutting off much air, but still providing enough pressure to make this thrilling.

Then, he began thrusting, and suddenly David could barely breathe. Each deep thrust sent a zap of pain up his spine and he _loved_ it. His hands gripped Daniel’s arm, pulling it harder against his throat. The hard thrusts jolted his body, and their speed made his eyes roll back. Tears stung at his eyes. This was _exactly_ what he’d wanted.

An eternity and an instant later, Daniel’s hand wrapped around his cock again and began stroking. “You feel so _fucking good_ , baby,” Daniel growled through gritted teeth, “So fucking hot and tight… Come for me, you fucking bitch.”

That was all it took to send David over the edge. This time, he spilled his seed all over his stomach as his body was wracked with pleasure. Only moments later, as David was just starting to relax from his orgasm, he felt Daniel finish inside with a long groan of his name. His seed was cold, making David gasp. He loved it, and he loved being able to feel it fill him. 

When they both relaxed and were able to catch their breaths, Daniel planted kisses all over David’s face again. “That was amazing. You’re amazing, Davy.”

“ _You’re_ amazing, Danny.”

They eventually untangled themselves and cleaned up. Lights off. Warm in bed. Daniel pulled David close, spooning him, and held him tightly against his chest. David was completely content and felt safer than he ever had in his life. Sleep came easy.

### 

The next morning, their unspoken promise was fulfilled. Their fingers laced together, both hands pinned by David’s head, Daniel moving slow, rhythmic, deep. Their breaths mingled, soft moans and whimpers filled the air. They could draw this out for hours if they wanted, but they had deadlines to keep.

“Davy,” Daniel whispered as he rolled his hips forward, pushing his cock nice and deep inside his lover.

David groaned and rolled his hips to meet Daniel’s. “Oh, Danny…”

“Davy,” Daniel repeated and slid out a few inches. “I love you…” He thrust deep again.

David gasped and squeezed his hands. For the briefest of moments, he was vaguely aware that he and Daniel barely knew each other. How could they already be dropping the “L” word? But he didn’t care and the thought soon vanished. “I love you too, Danny…!” 

“Davy…” He kissed him, still moving slowly and gently. 

They repeated the words to one another several times over as they made love. When they finally finished, their orgasms were less violent electricity and more gentle waves of pleasure rolling over them. They laid together another hour, speaking softly about plans for the camp that day, plans for camps in the future, and giggled predictions on what it would be like to grow old together.

So this is what love was. They were both absolutely smitten.

Eventually, they did get up and get ready for the day. They snagged breakfast at a local diner and had a playful argument over the best kind of pancakes, ending with them agreeing that, honestly, all pancakes were pretty dang good.

By 10am they were on the road, making their journey the remaining 20 miles to camp. David and Daniel were in clean shirts and khaki's. They parked in a small lot and headed to the main hall.

The camp was relatively small. Two counselors and less than a dozen kids. The counselors were of course surprised to see them. Daniel had done this a dozen times before, however, and was quick to reassure them.

“We're from the National Summer Camp Association. We just do random checks on camps in our area to make sure everything is up to code, the counselors are knowledgeable and responsible, and the campers are having fun, learning, and kept safe.” Daniel recited with a big, charming smile.

David continued with a matching smile, “We’ll mostly just be observing and asking a few questions throughout the day, so please go about as you normally would! I'm sure everything will be up to par. Heck, probably well above it!”

The counselors were instantly at ease. David went with them for the tour and to get a feel of how they ran things. Daniel was left to ask the kids a few questions over their lunch.

Naturally, there was never an intention to do either of these things. As soon as Daniel sat down with the kids he began his preaching, telling them stories of space battles and negative ions and what would happen after death. He was kind and patient with them, so they were eating it out of the palm of his hand within minutes.

David was shown several facilities around camp, then finally the storage area, where everything was kept in perfect order. He snagged a machete off the wall to examine it. He checked the sharpness, nodded in satisfaction, then brought it down on the female counselors head. It lodged in her skull and she went rigid before simply dropping. Dead instantly. A life over, just like that.

The male froze, eyes wide in horror as his brain struggled to grasp what just happened. David slammed his elbow into his jaw, sending the man to the ground in a daze. He grabbed a rope and tied his hands together, then a couple of rags to gag him so he couldn't scream.

By the time the man was out of his daze, David had gathered a few tools he intended to use and laid them out on the ground in easy reach. He knelt over the man with wire cutters, a twisted smile, and mania in his eyes.

### 

David cleaned himself up in one of the shower and changed into clean clothes. The kids were still in the lunchroom, so he went through a backdoor into the kitchen. Supplies were easy to locate. It took no time to make the koolaid. He put all the cups on a tray, then poured two cups of soda for himself and Daniel and added those to the tray as well. As carefully as possible, he carried it out to the lunchroom. 

The kids were enamored by Daniel and by his stories. They barely acknowledged David as he entered and began placing cups in front of them. He took a seat next to Daniel and put their cups down.

“Ah, thank you, Davy!” Daniel picked up his cup, “Are you ready for ascension, kids?”

Kids cheered. Cups raised. David and Daniel tapped theirs together. Everyone took a long drink. The poison was more potent this time around. It only took seconds for the kids to start going down. One by one their heads lolled and fell to the table with soft thuds.

Daniel grabbed David's chin and brought their lips together in a gentle kiss. “I knew I could rely on you,” He purred, “Everything went off without a hitch. You took care of the counselors, right?”

“Yes. They're in the storage building. Ones got a machete in her head and the other is unrecognizable.”

“Perfect.” Another brief kiss. “Are your bloody clothes disposed of?”

“Burnt and buried.”

“Then our work here is done.” They picked up their cups and left together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright ladies and gents, you've been waiting eagerly and soon ye shall receive... Max officially makes his appearance next chapter! So lemme know what you thought of this chapter, and how excited you are for the next one! Feel free to suggest some fun activities/places the three of them could experience in later chapters. I'm eager to write some nice domestic family shit too and want some different ideas to check out and work with!
> 
> Thanks for reading and commenting! I love you all! <3


	8. Three's a Crowd

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have ya'll seen the Season 2 finale yet?? DAMN. I FUCKING LOVE CAMP CAMP AKSJHDAKSHDLKAHS
> 
> No worries if you haven't, this chapter technically does not contain any spoilers. Nothing the whole fandom hadn't already assumed was true, anyway.

A month flew by without a hitch. David grew used to life on the road; long stretches of land, infrequent stops, eating behind the wheel, motels. He loved it, and he loved sharing it with Daniel. Every meal spent trying something a little new and sharing it. Every night spent pressed close together, warm and safe. Every camp a test of trust, a thrill, and a reaffirmation of how _perfect_ they were for each other, how _meant-to-be_ they _must_ be. A good life, a good future together.

Which was why, when Daniel asked that one, single, life-changing question, David was neither surprised nor unsure of his answer. 

“ _Yes_!” He stepped forward and hugged Daniel tightly. Fresh mountain air swirled into the hotel room from the open window. Second story; overlooking a forested valley where their next stop was nestled. “Of course I’ll marry you!” Things were moving too fast, but he didn’t care. This was _love_.

Daniel squeezed him tightly and kissed his freckles. “I’m so happy to hear that, my wonderful, perfect, talented _fiance_.”

David giggled and kissed his face right back. “I _love_ you, Danny. I wanna spend my whole _life_ with you!”

“I love you too, Davy, forever and always… Can we have the ceremony in my church? In the compound I was raised in?”

“Yes, of course. I know how much that would mean to you. It would mean the world to me too.” It wouldn’t really, but it meant a lot to him because it meant so much for Daniel. He kissed him deeply, his handsome, charming, intelligent fiance. The love of his life.

They bought rings at a nice jewelry store down the road. Simple gold bands, with each others names carved inside, along with “Eternity Among The Stars.” When they got to the camp, they referred to one another as husbands, here to check out the state of the camp, make sure everything was up to code, etc. etc.

The place was a graveyard by dinner. They worked efficiently, swiftly, and without much discussion. They were a perfect team, a perfect pair, a perfect couple. Just the two of them.

### 

Their next stop was a camp way out in the woods, past a shitty little town without any motels or even really anything worth stopping to see. It was already getting late by the time they realized this, however.

“Damn…” Daniel muttered, “I guess we’ll have to come up with a different excuse this time and stay the night in camp. We don’t know how many counselors or kids their might be, so who knows if we can finish them tonight.”

“Wasn’t this one the one that we saw an ad for in the paper? Er, a job offer?” David tilted his head in thought, but his eyes stayed on the road, “Maybe we can say we’re interested in applying as a team? Chances are, if they need another counselor, they’re short-staffed and have a good number of kids. That would get us in the door for the night, surely.”

Daniel hummed, then nodded, “I think that would work, especially for one night. It’s not like we’d have to keep up that lie very long.”

“Which reminds me…” David glanced at him, “Didn’t we send papers with your information on them to the head office? Can’t they track you down?”

Daniel laughed and patted his leg, “Oh, sweetheart. None of that information was at all accurate.”

David grinned, “That’s what I thought you’d say. You’re so clever.”

“ _You’re_ the clever one, and so cute too.”

They giggled. The moon disappeared behind trees as they left town and entered thick forest. The concrete path turned to gravel, then dirt. Trees grew more dense. Several miles and turns later, they pulled up to a small building with an even smaller parking lot beside it. David pulled into a single empty spot and they stepped out.

The lights were on in the main hall. They headed to the doors, knocking in a quick rhythm.

Within moments, the door was partly opened by a young man with a confused expression. He looked them up and down. “Can I help you?”

“Evening!” David greeted with his biggest smile, “So sorry to come by at such a late hour! We live a good drive away, and didn’t know there wouldn’t be a hotel in town! We saw your ad in the paper, and were hoping we might be able to schedule an interview!”

“Oh!” The man brightened and opened the door more, “Fantastic! Come in, come in! I’m Marty!”

“David!” He offered his hand, “This is my husband, Daniel.”

“Pleasure to meet you both!” Marty shook their hands.

“The pleasure is all ours!” Daniel replied politely. “Do you have two open positions for us both? We’re sort of a package deal.”

“Yes, absolutely!” Marty led them inside and shut the door.

The lights were dimmed in the main room, but there were lights on in a backroom that was probably on office. There was a big TV on one wall where a movie was playing. Several children were watching what David recognized to be an old Goosebumps episode. Was that ‘The Werewolf of Fever Swamp?’

“It’s scary movie night,” Marty explained in a hushed tone as he led them behind the kids. A few turned to look at them, but quickly lost interest in favor of the television. Most were sitting in front, but one child was in the corner, curled up with his knees against his chest and his face buried in his arms. Perhaps he was scared of the show?

They entered the office, where a young woman was sitting. She put down a book she’d been reading to look at them.

“Vick, this is David and his husband, Daniel. They’re looking for jobs!”

“Oh, fantastic!” She stood from her chair, “We really need some extra hands this year! We got a few more kids than predicted and one of them- well, I don’t want to scare you off!”

“No worries!” Daniel reassured, “We’ve worked a few camps before and have plenty of experience between us. We’ll be happy with whatever position you need filled!”

“We’re sorry too, for coming so late. It was a long trip, and the closest town doesn’t have a hotel!” David added.

Vickie waved her hand, “Psh, no problem at all! We have empty rooms here! You’re welcome to stay! We can even give your interview and start the paperwork tonight, if you want!”

“Fantastic!” Daniel clapped his hands together, “Who would you like to interview first?”

“Oh, uh,” David spoke up, “Can you go first? I was kind of hoping I could go catch a little bit of that Goosebumps episode. It was one of my favorites growing up!”

“That’s fine by us.” Marty nodded.

“Oh boy, thanks!” David smiled. He went to leave, but Daniel gently gripped his arm. 

He pulled him over for a quick kiss, then grinned at him. “You better not have nightmares tonight.”

David chuckled, “I won’t! I love that show!” He was released and took his exit. As quietly as possible, he settled in behind the kids to watch. This show had first come out over twenty years previous, but he’d always loved it. He’d seen every episode. Every second watching now was like reliving his childhood. Nostalgia washed over him. The show did seem a little sillier now than it had when he was a kid, but he loved it no less.

A few minutes in, he couldn’t help but take a look at the child curled up in the corner. Wild black hair and a blue hoodie, unmoved since they walked in. With a hum, David crawled over and sat beside them, hoping to comfort the poor frightened thing. “Hey, buddy.” He spoke gently, but loud enough to be heard over the television. “Did the show spook you?”

The tiny figure scoffed. “It’s stupid,” Came a muffled voice with an angry tone to it, “Monsters aren’t real. The only real monsters are people. This show is old anyway.”

“Why do you think people are monsters?”

“Because they are. Have you fucking met people? They suck.”

“Heyy… language…”

Another scoff. “You must be here for the job, huh? You won’t last the week.”

“What makes you say that? It seems nice here.”

The child -a young boy it seemed- lifted his head. Brown skin and green eyes. “Because I’ll break you, like I’ve broken the last three people who applied this week. I’m a bad kid. People don’t like dealing with me.”

David stared at him, contemplating. “Why do you think you’re _bad_?”

“Because I am.”

“Why _are_ you? What _makes_ you bad?”

“I’m mean as shit.”

“But why?”

“Because I can be. I like it.”

“Have you ever hurt anyone? Or animals?”

“That’s nonna your business, camp man.”

“My name is David. What’s yours?”

“Max.”

“Just Max?”

“Maxwell. I would prefer you curse the name ‘Max’ though.”

David couldn’t help a soft chuckle. This kid was certainly clever, seemed quite troubled, and obviously a terror to deal with. David liked him though. He saw a lot of himself in Max. A boy with bad urges who had to find some way to vent them. The difference though, was Max was more like Daniel. He was genuine, more honest about who he was. Max didn’t fake smiles. He took out his rage on others and didn’t hide it. David sort of admired that, though he figured that would most likely just land Max in juvenile detention at some point…

Well, never. He would be ascending long before that could ever happen.

The office door opened and Marty leaned out. “David?” He called softly, “We’re ready for you.”

David reached over and ruffled Max’s wild hair, which earned him a few good slaps in the arm. “Gotta go, little buddy. See you later.”

“Fuck off!” Max hissed.

“Language.” David reminded as he stood. He offered Max a smile, then headed into the office to do his interview.

### 

They were fine with a single room, and happy to share a bed. When everyone turned in for the night, they slipped under the sheets together, wearing only underwear. Daniel pulled David against his chest, spooning him. He placed butterfly kisses on the back of his neck.

David hummed softly and held Daniel's arm against his chest. “I talked to one of the kids.”

“Oh?”

“His name's Max. I think he's like us.”

Daniel hummed. “It's miserable when you're young, isn't it?”

“Yeah, it is…”

“It's alright. He'll be free of that tomorrow, when he ascends with the others.”

“Yeah…”

Daniel kissed his jaw. “Goodnight, my love.”

David smiled softly, “Goodnight, Danny. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

### 

They were up bright and early the next morning. They had breakfast with the group, then got them separated, just as planned. David asked for a tour, while Daniel was working with the kids. It was always so easy.

There wasn't a big storeroom this time, so David settled for the kitchen. There were lots of knives to choose from. He grabbed a long, serrated one and sliced open Vickie's throat. With a hard kick to the chest, he knocked Marty to the ground against the counter, dazing him. 

David worked fast, having practiced this a few dozen times. He used towels and rags to gag Marty, then a chef's apron to tie his arms above his head. There was a bone saw on the wall, likely to cut up deer. David grabbed it. It went through Marty's arms like butter, the grating and sawing of bone barely drowned out by his muffled screams.

David made quick work of him, knowing he didn't want to be gone too long, since there was a trouble child in the group and wayward kids were good at derailing plans in the worst way. He sliced open his guts and used sharp tongs to yank out intestines, stringing them across the ground around him to make some macabre wings, just for kicks.

The noise of the kitchen door opening made him go rigid. His head jerked around, his grip on the tongs tightening.

Max was frozen in the doorway, midstep. His eyes were wide in horror, staring down at the mangled corpse.

“Uh,” David stuttered, “Wh-what’re you doing away from the group?” Shitshitshitshit-

Max tore his eyes off the body and looked at David. There was fear in them, but also a spark of something else that David recognized. It was the same spark of madness that was often present in Daniel’s eyes. “Pantry.” He pointed at it.

Out of pure instinct, unable to stop himself, David glanced at it. It was only for a second. When his eyes flicked back to the doorway, it stood empty, the kitchen door left swinging. “SHIT!” David dropped the tongs and ran after the escaped child. Bolting from the kitchen, he found the cafeteria door wide open and saw Max running. Out David went, chasing the scared child down the path toward the cabins.

“Max! Stop!” David yelled as he ran. Unsurprisingly, this did not encourage Max to actually stop. Thankfully, even as they neared the cabins, David’s significantly longer legs had him quickly gaining on Max.

Out from behind a cabin stepped Daniel, grinning a little too wide. “Max! _There_ you are!”

Max screamed and darted right, sending him into the woods. Damn!

“I’ll get him!” David called to Daniel as he headed for the woods, “Take care of the other kids!” He entered the trees, still hot on Max’s heels. The boy was much better at darting around trees though, and David had a feeling he knew these woods well, so who was _really_ at a disadvantage here?

Just as he was getting close enough to Max to try to grab him, something clipped David hard in the abdomen and sent him to the ground, groaning in pain. Max disappeared. David sat up and found thick, broken threads tied to the trees on either side of him, high enough for Max to slip under but the perfect height to make an adult kiss the dirt.

Holy shit… this kid had _traps_?? He wasn’t kidding about being a problem child. He’d probably tormented other counselors until they couldn’t take it anymore and left.

David picked himself up and dusted himself off. The woods around him were silent. He looked around, hoping to spot the blue hoodie through the trees, but saw only forest.

Crapcrapcrap. What now?

“Max!” He called as he slowly began walking, “Come out, Max! I don’t want to hurt you! I won’t, I promise!” He continued forward slowly several steps, looking around carefully. He doubted Max had gotten far.

There was rustling in the tree above him, and he almost paid it no mind. Almost. 

He looked up just in time to see Max jumping down, a weapon in hand. It was David’s turn to scream. He tried to jump out of the way, but Max was already on him. They fell to the ground and quickly scrambled to get away from one another. When David managed to stand and put some distance between them, he noticed red on his sleeve. He’d been cut.

Max took a defensive stance, holding out a stick with a knife tied to the end, pointing it right at David. “Stay back, you crazy fuck!” He snarled, “I’ll cut you with my knife-stick, bitch!”

“Spear?” David questioned without really thinking.

“ _Fuck_ you!”

“Calm down, Max.” David raised his hands defensively, “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“That’s a bunch of horseshit! Your _boyfriend_ is probably murdering the rest of the camp right now!” Max jabbed the stick at him threateningly. 

“Okay, first of all, husband. Second-”

“Holy shit, are you serious?! I was trying to insult you!”

“That’s homophobic.”

“You’re trying to kill me!”

“No, I’m not! I just want to talk!”

“LIAR!” Max swung the stick savagely, trying to land another hit on David. With a ‘snap!’ whatever was holding the knife to the stick broke. The knife spun off into the forest.

There was a beat of silence in which they both stood a bit stunned. David moved first, taking two steps forward and grabbing Max by the hoodie before he could escape.

“PUT ME DOWN!” The boy screamed, “I’LL KILL YOU! I’LL KILL BOTH OF YOU!” He swung and kicked at David, but the man’s arms were longer than any of the poor kid’s limbs. His flailing was futile.

“Please calm down,” David begged again, “I genuinely don’t want to hurt you. Daniel is the one who takes the kids out…. I can’t.”

“Oh, so you just stand by and let him murder innocent kids then! And you’re taking me to him!”

“No, no… Things are more complicated than that…” He looked at Max contemplatively. “Am I wrong to suspect you’re like us too? You like hurting people and animals?”

“What I like is none of your business!” Max grabbed David’s arm and tried kicking it, but it did nothing.

“I’m sure I’m right. Do you ever do things that upset your parents? Things most kids wouldn’t do?”

“My parents don’t give a _shit_! Why do you think I’m in _this_ Hellhole?!” He stopped kicking in favor of trying to bite, but he couldn’t reach.

“They dump you in summer camp every year?”

Max struggled a few seconds later, then went limp. He sighed. “Fine. Just do it. Make it quick. I’m tired of fighting.”

David’s look turned sympathetic. “I told you, I’m not going to hurt you, or kill you. I don’t want to, and I don’t want Daniel to. But, you have to agree to something.”

Max quirked a brow, expression neutral, “Don’t tell anyone what happened or you’ll cut my tongue out?”

“What? No!” David grimaced.

“Don’t sound so offended. I saw what you did to Marty. You’re eight kinds of fucked up.”

David’s face tinted red, “Fine, you have a point. But, no. You have to agree to come with Daniel and I. We travel and, you know… do this.”

“So, my choices are; be killed, or be a hostage?”

“No! You’re not a hostage!”

“Then why would I want to go with you, aside from saving my own skin?”

“Well- It would be fun! You could help us with what we do, and you could do it too… We’d see lots of places, I’d buy you whatever you want, we’d have so much fun! Like a real family… You said yours doesn’t care. Wouldn’t you like a good one?”

Max frowned, “You aren’t my dad, white boy.”

“I’m just saying. You’d be free of this camp and Daniel and I would take good care of you! Wouldn’t you like to be able to fulfill those urges too?”

Max’s frown relaxed. He looked at the ground, thinking. After several seconds of silence, he looked at David again. “I wouldn’t have to stay at anymore camps, would I?”

“Only for one night, at most, and that usually doesn’t happen.”

“I wouldn’t see my family again?”

“Afraid not.”

“I’d be safe with you?”

“Absolutely!”

Max nibbled his lip and looked at the ground again. More thinking, more silence. Finally, he looked at David once more. “I wanna go with you.”

David smiled brightly, “Oh! I’m so happy to hear that!! I’ve always wanted to be a dad!!”

“You still aren’t my dad-” Max words were cut off when he was suddenly being hugged far too tightly. He cussed and struggled and threatened bodily harm, but his screaming went ignored. David was over the moon, and nothing was going to ruin that moment for him.

### 

Max didn’t have much. Enough clothes to fit in his single suitcase, plus a teddy bear. When David let out a little ‘awww’ at how cute it was, he was screamed at and threatened with murder if he ever mentioned it again. Somehow, that only made it cuter.

David popped by the main building and grabbed the VHS player and all the Goosebumps tapes they had. They went to the car and put Max’s suitcase and the plundered items in the trunk. He kept the bear against his chest. David moved a few things from the backseat to the trunk, but left one pillow and blanket incase Max wanted to lay down on their long drive. The ice chest in the floorboard was stocked with snacks and drinks. Max wasn’t shy about grabbing a candy bar and soda. 

David’s phone buzzed around the time he was expecting it too. He knew Daniel would continue what he needed to do, despite the hiccup. David closed the trunk and pulled out his phone.

_‘Where are you? Did you take care of the kid?’_ Read a text message from Daniel.

_‘I’m at the car. Yes, I did. Ready to go’_ David replied, then climbed into the driver’s seat.

“So where’re we going now?” Max asked.

“That’s Daniel’s decision,” David explained, “We’ll spend the rest of the day on the road, crash in a motel, and probably head to another camp tomorrow.”

“Ugh, so we’re basically living in this damn car?? Are you at least going to buy me a gameboy or something to play?”

“Uh, sure!” David smiled, “If that’s what you want, we’ll get it for you!”

Daniel came around the building and walked up to the car. He smiled when he saw David and happily climbed in beside him. “Davy! I missed you.” They leaned in for a quick kiss. “I’m so proud of you!” Daniel put a hand on his husband’s leg. “I know you have a hard time hurting kids, so I’m very proud that you were able to kill the boy on your own.”

“Haha, about that…” David laughed nervously. “Surprise! We’re dads now!”

“What.” Daniel dead-panned.

Max scoffed from the backseat, “I told you, you aren’t my dad. Neither of you are.”

Daniel’s head whipped around, eyes wide. At first there was confusion, then fury. “David,” He spoke evenly as he turned back to his husband. “Why is he in our car?”

“I told you, silly! We’re his new dads!”

“Not my dads.”

“Max is like us, so, I thought it would be nice to take him in… I’ve always wanted to be a dad and have a family… I thought you would want that with me too…” David was hopeful.

Daniel was unimpressed and trying not to show it. His smile was forced. “That’s very sweet, David, and I understand where you’re coming from, but keeping a kid around who’s been a witness to things we’ve done is a very, very bad idea. What happens if he escapes and runs to the cops, hm? Or just makes a scene in front of people? We’d be in big trouble, Davy. We don’t want that. I love you, and I want to keep you safe, but to do that we can’t keep a kid around.”

“I already promised Max we’d take care of him and wouldn’t hurt him. He wants to go with us. He doesn’t like being here and his family is neglectful. So, he’s coming with us.” David replied firmly. He wasn’t backing down on this.

Daniel’s eye twitched and his smile became more forced. “David, this isn’t a debate. I have to kill him.”

“Don’t you _dare_ even touch a hair on his head.” David’s voice was stern, bordering on angry. 

Daniel’s smile fell. Shock was evident on his face.

“Max is happy to come with us, aren’t you, Max?” David smiled at the boy.

Max shrugged, “As long as you feed me, I don’t give a shit what ya’ll do. I still want that gameboy though.”

“Sure thing, Max!” David started the car and began backing up. “Where to next, Danny?”

Daniel stared at him, expression neutral. “So, that’s it then? Discussion over? You’re risking everything for a _kid_?”

“Danny, sweetie, I can’t get very far if I don’t know where we’re going!” He pulled out of the lot and onto the trail leading them out of the forest.

Silently, Daniel pulled the map out of the glove compartment and flipped it open. He crossed out another circle, one of many, and charted the best route to their next stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seems Daniel isn't too happy with this new addition to the family. Hmmm wonder how long that might last....
> 
> Also, the counselors names are Vick(ie) and Marty... Can you guess what other show I LOVE?


	9. Hostage Situation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A second update in one weekend?? That's how much I am LOVING THIS. I am having a GREAT time writing these three together! I love their dynamics! Also, from here on out, things won't solely be from David's POV. I'll be writing from their different perspectives, so we can see how all three feel about one another and how their brains tick! Hope you like!
> 
> And, the answer to the last little guessing-game in the notes is: Rick and Morty! I love that show!

They drove for several hours. At first, David filled the silence by excitedly talking about all the neat things they were going to do together, as a family. Sightseeing, camping, hiking, little adventures here and there. It would be amazing! They would get to teach Max so much!

Within a couple of hours though, silence settled. It seemed Max was the kind of kid who was easily put to sleep by long car rides. David turned the radio up a little and hummed along. He knew he and Daniel still weren’t really talking.

It was toward the end of the end of the drive when Daniel finally reached over and put a hand on David’s leg. He turned from the window to look gently at the love of his life. “Davy?” He spoke softly, “I want to apologize. I love you. I shouldn’t have snapped like that. I should trust your judgement.”

David smiled affectionately and took Daniel’s hand. “Thank you. I know this is a sudden change and I’m sorry I wasn’t able to discuss it with you first. I just really wanted to give him a chance, like you did for me… I love you. I know we could be a happy family.”

Daniel offered a weak smile. “Right. I’m sure. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy too. You’re my world.”

“You’re mine too!” David beamed. “And Max is our new little moon.” He glanced in the mirror at the sleeping child, then returned his gaze to the road.

“Right.” Daniel whispered. He took a brief look at the little rat in the backseat, then returned his angry gaze to the window.

When they finally stopped, it was in a nice town with plenty to do and see. It was dark out and the town was quiet. David drove straight to Walmart and parked toward the back. He hopped out of the car, joined by Daniel, and opened the back door. “Max,” He called softly while gently shaking the boy, “Hey, let’s go get you that game you wanted. You can get some clothes too, or anything else you want.”

Max grumbled something intelligible and sat up. He rubbed at his eyes with a frown. “Awesome. When do we eat?”

“Right after this! Come on!” He bounced happily outside the car as he waited for Max to climb out. With a small, groggy moan, Max joined him in the parking lot. David locked the car and all three headed inside.

It was brightly lit, making Max whine and squint. David tried to take his hand, but was slapped. Oh, well. He grabbed a cart and they headed to electronics.

Max selected a blue Nintendo 3DS and a few games: Pokemon Moon, Super Smash Bros, The Legend of Zelda; Majora’s Mask, Animal Crossing, and a Fire Emblem game. They also had to invest in a good car charger for the DS. It ended up being quite a pricey sum. David cringed and looked at Daniel. “You have the funds for this, right?”

Daniel forced a smile and his eye twitched. “Sure, Davy! The church gives me a nice allowance for my work.” He pulled out his wallet, then a sleek black card. He swiped it, then put it away again. They were handed the bagged items, and David handed the bag to Max as they walked away. “Here ya go, champ!”

Max’s face lit up as he took the bag. “Awesome!”

“What do you saayy…?” David led.

Max smirked at them, “You’re fucking welcome for not ratting you pricks out. Now get me some damn dinner.”

David’s smile and shoulders fell. “You’re supposed to say ‘thanks.’”

“I know, but I don’t really _need_ to, do I.” Max sneered.

Daniel stepped over and put a hand on Max’s head, pressing down. His smile was strained, threatening, his voice low. “How about you say ‘thank you’ like David asked, and then the cops don’t find your body in the dumpster out back.”

“Daniel!” David put a hand on his shoulder, “It’s fine! Thank you for buying these things for Max. You’re so sweet.” He kissed his cheek, then smiled at Max. “Alrighty, Max, what would you like for dinner?”

“How about a tall glass of Daniel’s bitter gay tears?”

Daniel growled, fists clenching. David’s shoulders fell and he sighed, “Max… We had an agreement… Can’t you just be nice? Daniel’s doing his best to be nice to _you_.” 

“Fine, fine.” Max rolled his eyes, “Thanks for buying me shit. I don’t care where we eat. McDonald’s is fine.”

David grimaced. “How about somewhere nicer…?”

“Taco Bell?”

“That’s worse.”

“KFC?”

David pinched the bridge of his nose, “No… Still worse….”

Daniel put a hand on David’s shoulder. “How about that diner we saw driving in? I bet they have some good food.”

“That’s a great idea!” David brightened. “You’re so brilliant, Danny!”

Daniel’s heart melted and he fell just a little bit deeper in love.

### 

The motel was nothing special, same as most of them they stayed in, but this time there were two beds. It was nice and clean and there was plenty of room for the three of them. They brought in their suitcases, then David brought in the VHS player and some Goosebumps videos, along with a bag from the store. Daniel carried in the ice chest.

“Ugh,” Max grumbled as he plopped onto the bed closest to the bathroom, “I can’t believe I have to share a room with you two…”

Daniel put the ice chest down near the fridge. “I have to agree. Davy, how am I supposed to screw you all night with a kid in here?”

Max quickly covered his ears, “EW SICK!”

David rolled his eyes as he was hooking up the VHS player. “It’s just one night. We’ll get two rooms next time. Max, why don’t you go ahead and shower?”

“You two aren’t going to get it on while I’m in there, are you? WAIT! I don’t want to know.” Max hopped off the bed and went to his suitcase to grab clean pajamas, then headed into the bathroom.

Daniel stood behind David. “So, we’re… we’re really keeping him around, aren’t we?”

David frowned and looked over his shoulder, “When did I ever imply that we aren’t?”

“You didn’t. I’m sorry. I love you.”

“I love you too.” David finished hooking things up and stood, smiling. “This is going to be so fun! Help me make a fort!”

Daniel quirked a brow, “What?”

### 

By the time Max was done showering, David and Daniel had put together a pretty decent little fort. They pushed the beds apart, stacked both mattresses in the middle, and used chairs and sheets to make a roof for it. It was cozy, and the TV was easily viewable in it.

When Max stepped out of the bathroom, he was met with David poking his out of the fort. “Max! Look! We built a fort! Come on in!”

Max stared at him, frowning. “I should have let you kill me.”

“Agreed.” Came Daniel’s voice from inside the fort, followed shortly by “Ow!” when David kicked him. 

“Come on, Max!” David suddenly held out his bear, “Mr. Honey-Nuts is having a _great_ time!”

Max gasped and stormed over, “Get your hands off him!!” He snatched the bear and hugged it against his chest. “Where the Hell am I supposed to sleep?!”

“Language. Right here with us! There’s room for three! We can make s’mores in the microwave and watch Goosebumps! Won’t that be fun??” David’s eyes were sparkling with excitement.

Max sighed softly. “What were you saying about me _not_ being a hostage?”

“Oh, stop!” David laughed, “Come in and get comfy! I’ll get us some s’mores!” He quickly crawled out of the fort and dug through the bag of goodies he’d purchased at the store. He set out all the ingredients; marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate bars. Setting out three paper plates, he put down a graham cracker, piece of chocolate, and marshmallow in each.

Max crawled into the fort. Daniel was laying down against one side, so Max kept against the other. “Is he always so fucking cheerful?” Max asked in a displeased tone.

“Yes. He’s an angel. If you know what’s good for you, you won’t try to upset him. Because when _he’s_ upset, _I’m_ upset, and _I_ like to take out my negative emotions on kids who’ve pissed me off.” He gave Max a strained smile.

Max glared and hugged his bear tighter.

Moments later, David crawled back into the fort with plates and a remote. He handed the plates off and turned on some Goosebumps. Settling in between them, he happily munched on his s’more and watched one of his favorite shows. Having a family was so rewarding!

### 

Max awoke to an empty fort. The mattress beside him was void of the two men who’d slept beside him all night. Had they ditched him? With a tired groan, he got up and crawled out.

The room was quiet. He looked around and spotted Daniel standing at the sinks. He was in his underwear and was running a brush through his wet hair. It was clear he’d just gotten out of the shower and was now getting ready for the day.

“Where’s David?” Max called. David was easily the nice one around here. Daniel seemed to be missing a few screws. Max didn’t trust him as far as he could throw him.

Daniel caught his gaze in the mirror. His expression was dark. Without David around, he wasn’t going to bother with those forced smiles. Calmly, he put the brush down and turned, stalking over to Max.

“Oh shit!” Max quickly darted back into the fort, but it wasn’t like it could do anything to protect him.

Daniel ripped off the sheet roof and grabbed Max, lifting him off the ground and putting him at eye-level. “David has gone to fetch us all breakfast, and when he gets back _you’re_ going to be a _good_ little boy and behave like a _good_ child _should_ behave.” There was fury in Daniel’s eyes. “David might adore you, but don’t think for even a second that I’m above slitting your throat, dumping your body in the sewers, and telling Davy you ran away. On the contrary, I’d love nothing more. You’re nothing but a little _rift_ in our relationship, and I don’t like _problems_. Do you understand, Max?”

Max swallowed hard. “I understand.” He wanted to be tough, but Daniel scared him shitless. Without David around to keep him under control, there was no telling _what_ this freak might do.

“Good boy.” Daniel dropped him onto the mattresses. “Now get up and get ready. We’re leaving after breakfast.” He walked back over to the sinks and continued his morning routine, then paused. “Oh, and Max?”

Max was just starting to dig through his suitcase for clothes. “Y-yes?”

Daniel looked at him in the mirror. “If you ever _do_ try to run away, I will have to kill you. So don’t even try it.”

“Yes, sir.”

Daniel nodded and grabbed the blow dryer. He couldn’t very well start the day with wet hair!

Max dug out clean clothes and ducked into the bathroom to change. 

Seemed he was a hostage afterall.

### 

David returned with breakfast shortly thereafter. He and Daniel chatted pleasantly as they ate, while Max forced down a few bites of pancakes. When David tried to ask him what was wrong, Max merely shrugged and made an excuse about being tired.

Finally, shortly before 10am, they packed and left. Max kept his eyes on his DS, quietly tending to his villagers in Animal Crossing. In the front seat, Daniel and David were discussing their next course of action.

“The season is ending and people are going to start discovering the camps,” Daniel explained, “It might be best to skip this smaller camp and hit this one,” He tapped a marker on a large circle a couple of states over, “It’s pretty big, so it’ll be more difficult, but we wouldn’t be too pressed for time since it would be our final stop this summer. Camp-wise, anyway.” 

“Sounds good to me,” David nodded, “Is there any good place to stop between where we could do some sight-seeing? I’d love to spend some quality family time together! Bond, make memories! It’ll be great!”

Daniel grimaced briefly, but regained his composure. “There might be a few things. Nothing big on the map, but we’ll keep an eye out.”

“Oh, boy! I’m so excited! Aren’t you excited, Max?”

Max didn’t look up from his game. “Yup. Stoked.”

“Oh, I knew you would be! We’re going to have so much _fun_!”

### 

A petting zoo was not Max’s idea of ‘fun,’ nor was it Daniel’s, but David was just so damn excited that ‘no’ simply wasn’t an option. They parked in a dirt lot and climbed out of the car. Daniel offered Max his hand, though it seemed to be more of a demand.

“What, you think I’m going to run away?” Max asked defensively.

“It’s a possibility. Take my hand, or else.”

“Daniel!” David stepped around the car, “You don’t have to be so mean to him! Max,” He smiled and extended his hand toward him, “Will you hold my hand so we don’t get separated?”

Daniel had a frown on his face. Max had an idea. So, he was a little rift in the relationship, huh? Maybe he should make himself a _bigger_ rift. With a smile, he took David’s hand. “Sure! I’d hate to get split up. A kid can’t make it on his own out here.”

David’s eyes sparkled with delight, while Daniel’s flared in fury. 

They walked through the gates together and right up to a pin with lots of little goats in it. David cooed, clearly overwhelmed by how cute they were. Daniel was still seething and Max was honestly unimpressed by them, but slapped on a smile and pointed out a particularly small one to David. “Aww, look how little that one is!”

“It’s precious!!”

Max gently shook his arm, “Can I feed them?”

“Of course! Daniel, will you go buy us some feed?” He asked sweetly.

Daniel forced a smile, “Sure, Davy. Anything for you.” He walked away stiffly, heading for a booth selling cups and buckets of feed.

Once he was gone, Max made his move. He tugged on David’s arm. “David… Does Daniel not like me…?” He let his bottom lip stick out some to make him look more pathetic.

“What? Of course he likes you!” David knelt beside him. “Daniel’s just getting used to you, that’s all! I’m sure he’ll warm up soon.”

“Oh… Because he said- well, nevermind… I don’t want to upset you…”

David’s smile fell, making way for concern instead. “What did he say to you, Max?”

“Weelll…” He looked at the ground ‘shamefully.’ “He said if I made him mad he’d kill me and tell you I ran away… and that if I really did try to run he’d kill me anyway… It was really scary… I just wanted to be a family with you, but what if he never likes me…?”

David looked so hurt. “Oh, Max… It’s not your fault. I’ll talk to Daniel. He can be so stubborn, but he shouldn’t take it out on you. I’m so sorry.” He pulled Max in for a hug, then ruffled his hair as he stood.

Max was grinning widely. Yes, yes, just as planned… He stood behind David as Daniel was walking back.

When Daniel returned, he was met with a very unhappy husband. “Uhh? Is something wrong, Davy?” He put the bucket of feed down.

David put his hands on his hips, his expression one of hurt. “Daniel, did you threaten to kill Max?”

“What?” Daniel stiffened and forced a smile, “I would never-”

“Yes, you would. Daniel…” He stepped forward and put his hands over his heart, “Do you really… hate this that much…?”

“Davy…” Daniel’s shoulders drooped, “No, no, I…” He trailed off, looking like a defeated man.

“You don’t want a family, do you…” David said sadly.

“No! I do! I want a family with you!” Daniel took a step forward as well. “I _love_ you! You mean _everything_ to me! I do want a family I just… I thought it would be a few years from now, and we’d snatch a baby and raise it as our own… I wasn’t prepared for a ten-year old so early in our relationship.”

“I’m sorry for that, but we have one now. He needs a family and I know we could be a great one! Daniel, I love you and you’re my world, but I want Max to be part of that world too… I want to give him opportunities he wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. I want to save him, like you saved me…”

Max’s grin widened to a full, bright smile. This was it! Daniel was gonna go off on him and they were gonna split!

Daniel stared at his husband contemplatively. He reached out and took David’s hands, gently holding them between them. Their matching rings shined in the sunlight. Eternity among the stars… and there were millions of stars, weren’t there? Millions and billions and trillions, more than anyone could ever count. What was one more? 

He smiled a soft, genuine smile. “I want a family with you, Davy, and I want Max to have one too. I want to make him as happy as you make me. I love you, my world… and my moon.” He smiled gently at Max.

Max’s mouth was agape. This wasn’t happening! No way!

“I love you too, Danny!” Tears were brimming at David’s eyes, “Thank you!” He threw his arms around Daniel, hugging him tightly. Daniel returned the embrace and rocked him gently. They kissed, they nuzzled, they laughed.

“ _ **WHAT?!**_ ” Max yelled. “ _Are you **serious?!** You just- you’re not at each other’s **throats?!** You’re not **breaking up!?**_ ”

Their embraced loosened and they looked at him. “Of course not!” David chuckled, “Daniel and I are soulmates! We’re _meant_ to be together! We’d never separate…” He turned a loving gaze to his husband, “We’ll always work things out, no matter what.”

“Exactly.” Daniel nodded and smiled at Max. It wasn’t forced or menacing. “And now you’re part of our world too! I’m very sorry for the things I said to you, Max. I shouldn’t have behaved the way I did. It was selfish of me. I hope you can give me a second chance.”

Max couldn’t respond. His mouth was still hanging open. This hadn’t gone as planned at all!

Eventually, Daniel picked up the bucket of feed again and each man took one of Max’s hands. He numbly let them lead him around the petting zoo to feed the animals, his head hanging the whole time.

He was no longer a hostage, but something much worse.

Their goddamn son.

Fuck.

### 

The hotel they stayed in that night didn’t have any vacancies that were adjacent, so they went with one two-bed room again. This time, no fort was made, but David did bring in all the supplies for s’mores and Goosebumps. 

Max took his shower first. When he got out of the bathroom, he found Daniel standing at the sinks, unpacking some personal grooming items. 

“Come here.” Daniel gestured for Max to come closer.

Max hesitated, but stepped forward.

Daniel gently led him closer, then stood behind him. He grabbed a brush and a blowdryer. “You can’t go to bed with wet hair, so-” He tried to run the brush through Max’s hair, but it didn’t budge an inch. He tugged a little harder, making Max curse from the pain. “Max, do you use conditioner at all?”

“No, the fuck is that? I just use the bar soap.”

For a moment, there was a look on Daniel’s face that made Max think he might just faint. “Oh, my God… Okay, back in the shower.”

“What!” 

“You heard me. You’re going to learn how to properly wash. It’s important to be clean and well-groomed. Makes people trust you more.” He got the brush out of Max’s hair and grabbed two bottles from his bag, along with a large comb.

Max grumbled as he went back into the bathroom. 

“Daniel?” David called from the bed, a worried look on his face. He was putting his shoes on to run out and pick-up their to-go order.

Daniel smiled softly at him. “No worries, my love. It’s fine, I promise.” He followed Max inside and shut the door. “Come on, back in the shower.”

Max glared, “Are you some kinda pedophile?”

“No,” Daniel grimaced. “Anyone who touches a child like that deserves to be tortured to death.”

“You murder kids.”

“Yes, but I don’t rape them. A heinous act like that is unforgivable. I’m just going to help you with your hair.”

Max grumbled some more. He got undressed and climbed back into the tub, sitting down when prompted to. He noted that the bottles Daniel sat on the rim of the tub looked very fancy.

Daniel turned the water on. It was still warm. He removed his shirt so it wouldn’t get wet. “Who taught you to use bar soap on your hair?” He asked as he poured a large amount of shampoo into his hand.

“No one. I was never taught how to wash myself. I just kinda got the gist from commercials.” Max hugged his knees and stared straight at the wall.

“Your parents didn’t teach you?”

“It’s like I already told David. They don’t give a shit.”

Daniel hummed. He dumped the shampoo on Max’s hair and began lathering, though it was a bit more difficult than his own hair. The suds turned brown quickly. He was disgusted, but didn’t outwardly show it.

“So, you’re not going to try to kill me anymore?” Max asked.

“No. I said I was sorry and I meant it. I won’t threaten you anymore, I promise.” He gently tilted Max’s head back and rinsed the soap out. The water ran brown. Yuck.

“You good at keeping promises?”

“I don’t make them unless I intend to keep them. I’ve never broken a promise.”

“Mkay. I don’t have to call you guys ‘dad’ now, do I?”

“No. Unless someone starts asking questions, then it would be appreciated if we could all agree that you’re our adopted son.”

“Works for me.”

Daniel poured more shampoo into his palm. “David thinks you’re like us. Are you?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think I want to cut people, but I think I’d like to watch someone else do it. I like pushing people off high places and watching them fall and get hurt. I did that to the counselor before you guys. I climbed onto the roof and he came up to get me down, so I shoved him off. It broke his leg and he had to leave. That was fun.”

“Well,” Daniel began lathering his hair again, “We’ll see what we can do so you can do that soon. I’m sure David would love it if you watched him cut someone up. I don’t usually do that myself. I prefer poison. It’s cleaner.”

“So, you poisoned all my campmates then?”

“Yes, I did.”

“I was wondering what you did. I assumed you tied them up and tossed them in the woodchipper one by one.”

Daniel chuckled. “You have quite the imagination.” The suds were white this time. He tilted Max’s head back and rinsed. The water ran clear.

“I guess you have to have a good imagination when you’re left alone all the time.”

Daniel hummed again. He sat Max’s head up and squeezed out the excess water. “What we just used was shampoo.” He showed the bottle to Max, “It’s to wash out the dirt and sweat and oil and grime. Next, we use conditioner.” He showed Max the other bottle, “It helps smooth your hair so it’s not difficult to brush.”

“Shit, they’ve really thought of everything.”

Another soft chuckle. Daniel poured a massive amount of conditioner into his palm. He gently worked it into Max’s hair, then picked up the comb. Carefully, he ran it through the thick mane, gently pulling the tangles out. It took quite a while, but eventually the comb slid through Max’s hair without obstruction. Daniel rinsed the conditioner out with cool water, then turned the shower off. He got Max a clean towel and let him dry himself, only helping to pat his hair dry.

They stepped out minutes later. Daniel brushed Max’s hair while blow drying it. When he was done, it was fluffier than ever. 

David was back with the food in no time. He gushed over Max’s hair, giving it a good ruffling. Max didn’t swat his hand away. He climbed onto his bed and watched the adults unpack the food.

David hummed a little tune to himself as he carefully cut up a steak and prepared a baked potato. He took that box to Max, along with a bottle of chocolate milk. “Here you go, Max.” He ruffled his hair again, then went back to the table to work on his own meal.

Max stared down at the plate with a lump in his throat. It had been ages since he’d had good food, and even longer since he’d had food he hadn’t had to struggle to prepare himself. Staring down at a perfectly-cut steak and fully prepared baked potato made his chest feel swollen. 

He ate like it was the best meal he’d ever had, and so far it sure was. He suddenly didn’t think Goosebumps was all that stupid, and he liked seeing David and Daniel being playful and happy together. He was excited to get s’mores for dessert and felt safe curled up in this big comfy bed, two murderers who would stab any threat to him sleeping soundly a few feet away. 

Maybe life wasn’t as shitty as he thought it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I certainly hope no one calls it good and stops reading here. We've still got a few more chapters to go, so buckle up and enjoy! Thank you SO MUCH for the wonderful comments! As you can see by this weekend's double update, they really motivate me!


	10. The Final Camp

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ### IMPORTANT NOTES
> 
> **Okay! First things first I want to extend a huge THANK YOU to zeriahraptor on tumblr! She drew some beautiful fanart, which you can find on her art blog (miracu-plot)! Not only that, she owns the four counselors introduced in this chapter, who finally gave me a solid idea for how this final camp goes down. Thanks so much!!**
> 
>  
> 
> **Second thing. I've had a few people ask about MY tumblrs. My main is **AestheticAcoustic** and my fandom blog (where I reblog all the Camp Camp stuff!) is **aasfandoms**. I'd love to see any fanart you make!**
> 
>  
> 
> **I also want to thank Konniwa on tumblr for their fanart!**
> 
>  
> 
> **Seriously, you guys and gals are the best and I love you! I might be the one writing this, but it's been shaped so much by your comments and love that really you might as well be co-authors! Thank you!!**

The next morning was a little louder than the first. Max was woken up too early (yes, 8am was _absolutely_ too early) by David calling his name and shaking him gently. He flipped over and curled up tighter, telling the man to “fuck off.”

Then, Daniel scooped him out of bed and sat him down on the counter by the sink. Max glared at him. His nasty expression never wavered as Daniel gently combed his hair. Behind him, David was pulling sheets and blankets off the bed and bundling them up to make the housekeeper's job a little easier.

When Daniel was satisfied with the state of Max’s hair, he took a step back and grinned at him. “I’ve been working on my death glare for years, but it seems you’re already a master of it.”

Max’s eyes narrowed.

Daniel snickered, “A master indeed.” He picked Max up and sat him on his feet. “Get dressed. We’ll get breakfast on our way out.” 

“I want coffee.” Max snapped.

David walked over and ruffled his hair, “Coffee isn’t good for you! It’ll stunt your growth! Plus, it’s addicting!”

Daniel poured shaving cream into his hand. “There’s a coffee maker on the desk. If you can figure out how to use it, you can have coffee.”

Max smirked and headed for it.

David stood beside Daniel with a pout, “Danny, he shouldn’t drink that!”

“And you shouldn’t stab people to death and I shouldn’t poison children but we do anyway. Let him have a vice.” He handed David the can then smoothed shaving cream onto his face.

David couldn’t really argue with that. With a little sigh, he poured cream into his hand and coated his cheeks and chin with it as well.

Max had the coffee machine figured out and going within mere seconds. He got dressed while he waited for it to brew, then hopped onto the desk to sit and wait. He looked around the room, plain but comfortable, then turned his attention to the two men shaving at the sinks. He suddenly frowned. “Are you two wearing each others clothes?”

They looked at him in the mirror, then at each other. David was wearing a nice, pale blue, button-up shirt with pockets in the front that Max would have sworn Daniel was wearing yesterday, or perhaps he had several similar shirts. Daniel was wearing a pale forest green t-shirt with white, minimalist-style trees on the front, that really looked like something David would wear. David was in jean shorts and Daniel in khakis.

“We share clothes, actually!” David said with a big smile.

“We’re the same size, so we just stopped bothering with keeping our wardrobes separate.” Daniel elaborated. With that, they went back to shaving.

Max made a gagging noise and let his head thump against the wall. Adults were gross.

### 

They were on the road before 9am, and so began the discussion of where to get breakfast.

“How about that Mexican place up the road?” David suggested, “It looked pretty nice.”

Daniel quirked a brow at him. “Davy, who eats Mexican for breakfast?”

Max didn’t even look up from his DS to respond, “Oh, I dunno, Daniel. Probably people from _Mexico_?”

Daniel turned slightly in his seat to grimace at him.

“Now, now, you two,” David patted Daniel’s shoulder, “No fighting. Let’s try the Mexican place, okay?”

“Fine.” The other two agreed in union. 

It took all of three minutes to get there. They snatched a corner booth and ordered a few different things, as usual. Max kicked his feet as he colored a kid’s menu, adding dicks and boobs and cuss words where he saw fit. Hehehehehehee… 

His masterpiece was never finished, however. Daniel made a suggestive comment at David, prompting Max to mutter about how gay they were.

Both men looked at him. David snatched the paper from him and balled it up. 

“Hey!”

“Those things are very inappropriate, Max.”

“But, he just fucking said-!”

“Max,” Daniel warned, “Language.”

“Ugh!” Max crossed his arms and pouted.

Their conversation shifted to more pleasant things, mostly the men trying to get Max to open up about things he liked. When the food arrived, David didn’t hesitate to quickly but neatly cut up several things so Max could try them. He made Max a separate plate with a good portion of everything, then he and Daniel shared theirs.

Max relaxed and smiled slightly, happy to be included.

### 

Max spent the long drive to the camp working on his house and tending to his villagers’ every wishes. The goal; be the best goddamn mayor in the entire freakin world. And he was _owning_ this bitch. He had a few human characters he’d cycle between. A lot of time was spent on customizing their houses.

Outside the car it was only forest for miles. The road they were on was so far still nice and smooth, winding through trees and hills.

David and Daniel were discussing what to do with the camp. Daniel had a newspaper in his hands. Four counselors and twenty kids. This would be tough.

“I can’t take four people on my own, and I don’t know that Max would be of much help against four adults. Plus, I don’t want him to get hurt…” David nibbled his lip.

Daniel folded the paper and sat it in his lap. “Well, we could try splitting the counselors up. Maybe you could go off with two, take them out, then come back with an excuse to get the other two out of the picture?”

“Maybe…” David sighed through his nose. “I guess we’ll figure it out when we get there. We always do.”

Daniel smiled softly and put a hand on David’s leg, “We sure do. I love you.”

“I love you too!” David giggled.

Max made a gagging noise in the backseat. Neither man paid him any mind.

### 

An eternity or so later, they finally pulled into camp. It was shortly after lunch (so, not an eternity, though Max would disagree) and the camp looked alive. There were kids all over, doing various activities or playing together. The counselors could be seen working with different kids, except for one who was just standing at the top of a hill and watching.

David parked and the adults looked at one another worriedly.

“Seems chaotic….” Daniel noted.

“I’m sure we can wrangle them in though… Plus we have Max.” David looked into the backseat at him, “Max, are you good at manipulating people?”

“I like to think so.” Max replied. He saved his game and shut the DS off.

“Think you can get twenty kids to agree that Daniel is the best person to listen to?”

“Psh, yeah,” Max rolled his eyes, “That’ll be _easy_.” 

They climbed out of the car. The counselor who’d been standing on the hill had already started over. “Good afternoon!” He greeted with a polite smile as he approached, “How can I help you?” He was of average height and build, with brown hair on his head and a tuft on his chin, and a very friendly sort of aura.

“Afternoon!” David stepped forward and offered his hand, “My name is David! This is my husband, Daniel, and our son, Max.”

“Wonderful to meet you!” The man grabbed his hand and shook, “I’m Matty.”

“It’s a pleasure!” David released his hand, “We’re camp inspectors! Well, _Daniel_ and I are! Max gets to come along for the ride, hahaha! Anyway, we just conduct quick, surprise inspections of summer camps, to make sure everything is running as it should be!”

“Oh! Well, I’m certain you’ll find everything here in tip-top shape!” Matty replied with a big smile. 

“I sure hope so!”

Max wanted to groan. It was like they were in a nice-war, each one trying to be even nicer than the other. God, he hated it. 

Daniel stepped in. “If we could get everyone together to start the inspection, that would be wonderful! We don’t want to be in your hair for too long!” 

“Sure thing! I just need some credentials first.” Matty stated without a waver in his smile. “What forest service are you with? What can we expect to be graded on? How will the grade impact the camp?”

Daniel pulled his wallet out and flipped it open, revealing a badge tucked into a clear pocket. “We’re with the National Forest Service! No worries, this isn’t for any sort of grade. It’s more of a pass/fail sort of thing, with us writing up a report on things that are excellent, and things that would need to be improved upon. These things are usually cleanliness, quality of camper and counselor interaction, variety and quality of camp activities, safety, and overall satisfaction with the camp experience. Don’t worry, this likely won’t affect your camp in any significant way, other than earning some bragging rights if we see a lot of positives! I’ve been doing this for a number of years now, and I’ve never failed a camp.” He flipped the wallet closed and tucked it back in his pocket.

“Oh!” Matty seemed impressed, “Well, we’d love to earn some bragging rights for sure! Come right this way!” He gestured for them to follow. They walked up a path on the hill that led to a large building, with a wooden sign atop that read “LODGE.” There was a bell outside with a long rope attached. Matty grabbed the rope and rang the bell several times.

Kids and counselors slowly made their way over. Max quickly spotted the ‘cool kids’ hanging together toward the back. He slipped over to them and gave a quick nod. “Sup.”

A tall brunette quirked her brow. “Who’re you?”

“Max.”

“Are you new?”

“Nah, I have to travel around with my dads.” He nodded at Daniel and David, who were introducing themselves to the counselors.

“Ew. Do you have to stay in dinky little hotels?”

Max sighed dramatically, “No, Daniel is loaded so we always stay in these lame resorts with, like, giant swimming pools and crap. Way too many people. It’s lame. The TV’s are big though so that’s pretty cool, but they always yell at me for sitting too close when I’m playing my Xbox. I’m supposed to start getting my own room after this summer though, so that’s cool too, or whatever.”

The cool kids glanced between one another. “You stay in resorts?” A shorter boy asked.

Max shrugged, “Yeah, when we travel over the summer. The rest of the year we stay at home. It’s pretty big. Like twenty rooms or some shit. I mostly just stay in my game room or my bedroom. During the winter we take the yacht out and chill around Ecuador for a few months, where it’s warm. The cold makes David’s bones hurt. It’s cool though. Snow is lame anyway.”

Hook, line, and sinker. They were interested. Questions about his house and what games he liked rolled in. He answered them all with smooth lies and shrugs and eye-rolls and reminders about how lame it all was, except for a few ‘cool’ things. It wouldn’t take long for the word to spread to the other kids. 

Just like that, the two dipshits were Gods in the eyes of the campers. 

Daniel and David had noted that Max had slipped in with the kids and assumed he must be doing what they’d requested. They focused their attention on the counselors. 

“Guys,” Matty smiled and gestured to the two men, “This is Daniel and his husband, David, and their son, Max,” He gestured to the boy who’d planted himself amongst the other kids. “They’ve come to give a quick inspection of the camp.”

An asian women stepped forward and offered her hand to David, “It’s nice to meet you! My name is Lilian!” A bright-red headband stuck out against her short, black hair. 

He shook her hand eagerly, “A pleasure!”

“This is Sophie and Louis!” She gestured to the other two staff.

Sophie smiled shyly and offered a little wave. She had pale skin, bright red hair, and hundreds of freckles. Despite being summer, she was wearing a sweater that might have been just a tad too big. Her hair was back in a loose bun. She seemed sweet.

Louis was not looking at them. He was staring at Max, watching him with furrowed brows.

“Louis!” Lilian chided.

He startled and turned. “Sorry.” He smiled and held a hand out to Daniel, “Louis Fenton. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” He stuck out amongst the staff. Rather than a dusty uniform, or even clothing that would be more suitable for this environment, he looked as if he’d just stepped out of Town & Country magazine. There was a french scarf around his neck, and his hair was black and windswept. Was he between modeling gigs or something? “I assume Max is adopted?” He questioned as they shook hands.

“Nah,” Max called from the group, “I’m theirs. See, when a pasty white guy and a slightly tanner white guy fall in love-”

“Max!” David interrupted, “That’s enough. Don’t be rude.”

Max put his hands up with a shrug. He caught Louis’ glare but didn’t really give a shit. Though, he had to admit, there was something a little familiar about him… Eh, probably nothing.

“Sorry,” David apologized, “He’s… he’s got a lot of personality.”

Lilian was chuckling. “So we can tell.”

They ended up splitting into two groups. Daniel went with Lilian and Sophie and a number of kids, while David and Max went with Matty and Louis and several older kids that Max had been chatting with. That group headed over to the cabins, the goal being to show off their cleanliness and go over routines.

The first one they entered was a boy’s cabin. It had four bedrooms, each one able to hold four campers in bunk beds. Each room was tidy and clean. A few of the boys demonstrated what they had to do every morning, listed rewards and punishments for sticking to or varying from this routine, and overall seemed satisfied with it.

David was all smiles. “What a great group of kids! Max, you could stand to learn something from-” When he turned around, Max was nowhere in sight. “Max?” He called, thinking he might be another room.

“Where’s Louis?” One of the girls questioned.

David looked at the group. All of the kids were present. Matty was present. Max and Louis were gone. He had a sinking feeling in his gut. He hadn’t cared for the amount of interest Louis had taken in Max earlier.

Matty stepped in to reassure everyone, “Louis is always eager to show off. I’m sure they’re around, and he’s yaking Max’s ear off about some sort of accomplishment or something. Let’s go look for them.” He took charge, but the kids were noticeably uncomfortable about it, or about him. They wouldn’t get close to him like they would Louis, despite Matty appearing to be the perfect counselor, what with his chipper attitude and how much he obviously cared about the kids.

They split up and looked around the cabin. Nothing. They went next door and looked through the girl’s cabin. Still nothing.

“Uh, okay…” Matty grimaced as they stood outside. “Gosh, I’m really sorry about this, David! I’ll make sure Louis gives a big apology! How about you wait here with the kids, maybe let the girls show you their routine, and I’ll run around and see if I can find them. Heck, maybe they went back to the other group or Louis wanted to show Max his fancy ribbons or something. I’ll be right back!” He waved as he took off.

David stood in shock and confusion. He was torn on how he should react. Had Louis led Max off, or had Max led Louis off? Should he be worried about Max being hurt, or Max being discovered with a dead body? He knew Max wasn’t stupid. That kid could hold his own better than a lot of adults. So, he was fine, right?

“Is it true you have a yacht?” A boy asked, snapping David out of his thoughts.

“Huh?” A yacht-? Oh. Probably something Max had said. “Oh, yes.” He smiled and nodded, “It’s pretty nice. Max seems to like it and that’s what’s important.”

“Do you guys really stay at resorts?”

“Yep! They have the best swimming pools and room service, and the beds are really comfy!”

“Did you really buy Max six Xbox’s?”

“Well, there were just a lot to pick from and he was having a hard time picking from some custom options, so we just bought him as many as he wanted.”

The questions continued, making time slip by. It wasn’t until over five minutes later that David realized this was taking far too long. He looked over his shoulder toward the direction Matty had gone. He didn’t see anyone. He turned back to the campers. “Why don’t you guys go rejoin the other group? I’m going to try to find Max.”

They seemed mostly neutral about the suggestion, but headed off anyway. David quickly headed toward the counselor dorms a good distance down the path, where he assumed Matty had gone. 

Was Max okay? Why had everyone disappeared? This would be a good argument for getting Max a cellphone. Speaking of…

David pulled his phone out as he walked and pulled up his texts. He was just starting to type a message to Daniel when he heard a distant, muffled scream coming from one of the staff cabins.

_“FUCK **OFF**!”_

It was Max. David’s blood ran cold. The text forgotten, he took off in a dead sprint toward the cabin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this... a cliff hanger...? YUP.
> 
> Next chapter, shit gets REAL.
> 
>  **If you didn't read the notes at the beginning of the chapter, it might be worth your time!**
> 
> See ya'll again soon!


	11. The Final Camp 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~~
> 
> ** IMPORTANT INFO/WARNINGS: **
> 
> A few of you figured out what kind of monster Matty actually is... well, I can promise that there won't be anything sexually graphic in this chapter, but **there is still a scene that some people may be VERY uncomfortable with!** I have marked it in the chapter so that you can skip it if you'd rather not read it! It will be summarized for you in bold, so you have an idea of what happened without anything graphic. 
> 
> Feel free to message me on tumblr (aasfandoms or AestheticAcoustic) if you have any concerns you'd like to discuss before reading this chapter, or continuing with the story. I don't like giving out spoilers, but I take mental comfort very seriously.
> 
> Please take care, and I love you all! Thank you again, Miracu-plot for the wonderful counselor characters! They're a joy to write!

This whole schtick was not only lame, but so transparent. David didn’t even have any forms! He wasn’t even writing anything down! Were these people stupid? Ugh!

Max leaned against the wall outside one of the rooms, listening to the campers talk about their daily routines. Yawn! He’d die before he willingly followed some BS like that everyday. This was boring. When would the killing start?? He wished he’d brought his DS, or that he had a cellphone to play on. He wasn’t allowed one of those though. Daniel thought he might call for help on it. As if. There was literally no better place for him to go. 

“Pretty boring stuff, huh?”

Max turned his head. Louis was standing beside him, grinning. “You look like you want to be anywhere else.”

“Camp stuff is lame.” Max stated with a huff. 

“Wanna see something cool?”

“You look like someone who’s definition of ‘cool’ is actually really fucking lame. Like a scarf collection.” Max sneered.

Louis frowned at him. “You’re a real little prick, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, it’s kinda my thing.” 

Louis hummed. Without warning, he suddenly swung his fist across the side of Max’s head. He grabbed his hoodie a second later, preventing him from hitting the ground. The blow sent Max for a loop, making him unable to fight back. Louis picked him up, covered his mouth, and held him tightly so he couldn’t struggle. Max let out a soft groan, then blacked out.

### 

When he came around, he was in a room he didn’t recognize, but could tell was probably one for a counselor. He was laying on the floor. His arms were tied against his sides and there was a cloth tied firmly around his mouth, preventing him from speaking. His head hurt, but he didn’t have time to be annoyed by that. With a muffled growl, he began struggling to get out of the ropes.

“Ah, you’re awake.” Came a voice somewhere above his head. Max froze.

Louis.

The man stepped over Max and crouched at his feet with an unsettling grin. “You don’t remember me, do you?”

Max glared. He couldn’t answer the question snidely with cloth in his mouth and he wasn’t going to give this prick the satisfaction of nodding or shaking his head to communicate.

Louis lifted his right arm, showing Max his elbow. There was a noticeable scar running through his elbow and a short distance up and down his underarm. “You gave me this when you pushed me off that fucking roof. My arm snapped at the joint, and they had to cut me open and add pins and a new ball. You _ruined_ my perfect skin! My perfect _body_!” He stood. There was hate in his eyes. “Now, I’m going to get my revenge. I don’t know exactly what yet, but I’ll come up with something soon. Maybe I’ll just cut you up… Give _you_ lots of _scars_ …” He pulled out a pocket knife and pointed it down at Max. “Sound like fun?”

“Fuck you,” Max tried to snap, but the cloth prevented that. He kicked at Louis’ ankles, but the man merely stepped backward out of range and laughed. 

Louis knelt again and balled a fist of Max’s hoodie, pushing him firmly against the floor. He brought the knife to his face. “You have very pretty eyes. I think it’s one of your best features! So, I think it would be fitting if I ruined it…” He pressed the sharp tip against the soft flesh on the underside of Max’s left eye. “Should I just cut it enough to make it cloudy and blind, or should I carve it out…?”

Max’s heart was hammering. Terror made his entire body hurt and he couldn’t stop the tears bubbling up in his eyes. 

Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit…! Where the _fuck_ were those two useless fuckers when he _needed_ them!?

A door in the other room opened and shut. “Louis? Max?” someone called.

Thank you, Jesus! Holy _shit_!

Max breathed a sigh of relief as Louis stood. The man stepped over him again and opened the door to the bedroom. “Matty, that you?”

“Hey! There you are!” Matty smiled and walked over, “Where’s Max? His dad’s pretty worried-”

Louis grabbed Matty’s shirt and pulled him into the room, slamming the door. “Matt. Let’s make a deal.”

“Uh?” Matty glanced around in confusion. His eyes went wide when they landed on Max. “Louis!”

“Shut up! Listen!” Louis shoved him against the wall then gave him some space. “Everyone else in this camp might be blind, but I can see the way you look at campers, Matt.”

“What?!” Matty gasped, “I-I don’t know what-”

“Shut up! I don’t care if you wanna diddle kids. I don’t give a shit about kids. This one though, this one is a little monster… He’s tried to kill people, Matty. He shoved me off a roof and he’s hurt other kids.”

“O-okay?” Matty was still scared and confused, “Let’s take it up with his parents-”

“They aren’t his parents! They obviously took him from a summer camp! I met him months ago and I _know_ those two weren’t in the picture!”

“Should we call the police?!”

“NO! Matty.” Louis sighed, then took a deep breath. He smiled. “I’m offering you a once in a lifetime chance. No consequences. I’m going to leave you two in this room all alone. Whatever happens, happens. We’ll call the police later. Whatever shape this kid is in, we can easily pin it on his kidnappers. Do you understand, Matty?”

Matty stared at him in shock. “Um…” He looked down at Max, young and vulnerable and unable to escape or fight back… “Yeah. I understand.”

“Good.” Louis patted his arm. “I’ll be in the main room when you’re done. I keep some supplies you might be interested in in the second nightstand drawer.”

“Okay.”

“Good man.” Louis smirked. He looked down at Max. “Looks like I figured out my revenge.” With that, he left the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.

**((As mentioned in the notes above, this scene may make people uncomfortable, or be triggering for some. If you don't wish to read or, or need to know what it contains BEFORE reading it, please skip to the next bolded part, which marks the end of this scene.))**

Oh _fuck_ no!

Max kicked his feet, pushing himself away from Matty. He wiggled, trying to loosen the ropes.

“Hey hey hey!” Matty quickly stepped over and knelt at his feet, grabbing his hoodie. “I don't wanna hurt you! I _like_ kids! I just… wanna touch a little bit, that's all…”

Again Max tried to snarl an insult, but it was muffled. He kicked at Matty, but it did nothing. Matty just sat over his legs, rendering them useless.

“Ssshh, calm down. Relax. I promise I'm not going to hurt you…” Matty caressed his face gently, then slid a finger slowly down his chin and neck. His hand ran lower and slipped underneath Max's hoodie, between it and his shirt. He rubbed slow circles against Max's stomach. 

The boy began struggling again, fighting against the man's touch.

“Ssshh,” Matty hushed again, “You're okay… I won't hurt you.” His other hand went to Max's face to stroke his cheek. The other dipped under his shirt. His fingers trailed softly across Max's stomach. “You're so soft… so smooth…” Matty breathed.

Max turned his head away and clenched his eyes shut. His heart was pounding and his ragged breathing reflected his panic. He didn't believe in God, but that didn't stop him from praying that David or Daniel would get him out of this any second. 

_'Please God please I want my dads I want my dads I want my dads!’_

Matty's hand slid higher, until his fingers couldn't budge past the rope. His hand was practically as big as Max's abdomen. He caressed it more firmly. His other hand left Max's face. There was a tent growing in his pants and he palmed it through his jeans, groaning softly. “So warm…”

Max kept his eyes shut. He didn't want to see what this freak was doing.

Matty unbuttoned his pants. He slid his hand between his jeans and boxers, slowly rubbing his hardening member. He tried to push upward, but the rope prevented that. He grew frustrated. Removing his hand from Max's stomach, he quickly loosened the rope, then resumed his touching. This time he was able to push his fingers beneath the rope and touch Max's ribs. 

Max's eyes snapped open. Opportunity! He began wiggling again, trying to move his arms away from his torso.

Matty pushed him down. “Quit struggling… just let me touch…” His fingers brushed nipples and he groaned and rubbed himself harder.

Thinking quickly, Max arched upward and moaned against the cloth. As expected, it got a moan from Matty and the man pushed upward more. The rope slipped further up Max's shoulders. His elbows were free. He could bend his arms. 

Another moan from Max, another moan from Matty. The rope was pushed higher. It was within grasping distance. _Freedom_ was within grasping distance. 

Max grabbed the rope and shoved it upward with all his might. It slipped off his shoulders and over his head. He sat up, yanked a leg out from under Matty, and kicked him hard in the groin. Since Matty's hand was covering it, the kick wasn't quite as effective as it _could_ have been, but it did the trick.

“Fuck!” Matty yelped and yanked his hands out from under their respective clothes. He held his crotch in pain, while Max pulled his other leg out and scrambled away. 

**((It should be safe to read now. In the previous scene, Max was not physically harmed, but was touched on the stomach/abdomen/chest area. Max tricked Matty into pushing the rope up too high, and Max was able to get it off. He kicked Matty in the groin to escape. So the story continues...))**

Max struggled with the cloth before finally getting it off. He ran to a window and pushed at it. Locked. He grasped at the lock, desperately yanking it at.

“Max!” Matty recovered and went after him. He grabbed him and lifted him away from the window. “Stop it! I just want to touch you!”

“Let me go!!” Max struggled and kicked. 

“Stop struggling!”

“NO!!” Max grabbed some stupid little trophy on Louis’ shelf. “FUCK _OFF_!” He swung it over his head as hard as he could. It connected with Matty's head. He cried out in pain and dropped Max, who hit the floor with a painful thud. He was used to pain though, so he was on his feet again in a second. 

Matty fell to the floor and groaned. His head throbbed. He couldn't get up.

Max unlocked the window and shoved it open just as the bedroom burst open. 

“Matty, what-” Louis started, then saw the boy escaping. “ _Max!_ ” He ran across the room just as Max was climbing out. He grabbed him by the hoodie, hindering him just for a moment.

Max loved that hoodie, but it wasn't worth his life. He threw his arms up and slipped out, landing on his feet in the grass. Without looking back, he took off running as hard and fast as his legs would take him. 

Louis snarled and threw the hoodie onto the floor. “God _damnit_!” He jumped out the window behind Max and took off after him.

Matty was left delirious on the floor. He vaguely heard someone banging on the front door. “Fuck…” He grabbed his head, then hissed in pain.

The front door was kicked in. Hard, fast footsteps stomping across the wood floor. A figure in the doorway.

“Matty!” David was suddenly standing over him. He looked Matty up and down. An injured head, unbuttoned pants, and Max's hoodie laying on the ground nearby. 

David had never really felt pure rage before. It burned in him like acid and fire. 

Matty came to his senses and tried to sit up. “Ah, David. There you are. I just-”

David put a foot on his chest and shoved him back down. His eyes were wide with fury. “Where. Is. My. _Son_.” He snarled. From a holster under his shirt he withdrew a crooked knife.

Matty was terrified. He put his hands up in defence. They were trembling. “C-calm down. This is just a big misunderstanding! I swear! Max got hurt, we were trying to help-”

“With your _pants_ down?!” David roared.

“N-n-no, I-”

“Did you put your filthy _fucking_ hands on my _son_?!”

“No, I would never-!”

“DON'T LIE TO ME!”

Matty burst into tears. “I JUST TOUCHED HIS STOMACH A LITTLE, I SWEAR! I DIDN'T HURT HIM! I WOULD NEVER-!”

David dropped to his knees and gripped Matty's neck tightly. The knife split his abdomen open. Matty screamed. David shoved the knife and his arm deep inside, upward, ripping and tearing and slicing organs from the inside. It was bloody, brutal, hate-filled, sick, and violent. Matty's screams turned to chokes. Blood poured out of his mouth and leaked from his nose and eyes.

Matty stopped moving when his insides were practically liquid. His eyes were wide, glassy, bloody.

David was panting and shaking. He stood on trembling legs. He was covered in blood and chunks of organs and clutching the knife like his life depended on it. He took deep breaths to steady himself.

Okay, okay. The window was open and Matty had clearly been hit. Max _must_ have escaped. He would be okay as long as David found him quickly. He had to assume that Louis was in on this.

There was a sharp gasp to his left. His head snapped around.

Sophie was standing in the doorway, frozen in fear. They made eye contact. Held it for barely a second.

She bolted.

“SOPHIE!” David called after her. Damnit! He ran, knowing he needed to take care of her before she alerted anyone else.

### 

Louis had a clear advantage, what with knowing the layout of the camp and all. Still, Max was small and quick and smart. He darted between buildings, searching for a good hiding spot. He could hear Louis gaining. He slammed his back against an older, wooden structure, his heart pounding.

“Where are you, you little _SHIT_!” Louis yelled, “You're _dead_!”

Shitshitshit!

Max looked around. There was a small hole in the building, barely visible behind a loose board. He shoved the board aside and crawled in. The board swung back over the hole.

It was dark. Light filtered in through cracks. It was just enough to see some large equipment and a lot of tools. It smelled of dust, thick and heavy and hard to breathe. A barn for maintenance, it seemed. 

There was a tiny, weak-looking ladder built into the wall. It led up to a loft. Max didn't hesitate to scramble as quickly but quietly as he could up it. 

The loft it led up to was a splinter trap. Max crawled carefully across it, feeling his way cautiously across loose boards. Surprisingly, it did feel relatively clean, as if someone came here regularly to take care of it. Was that good or bad?

Outside, he heard Louis calling his name. It soon faded as the man moved on, searching elsewhere. 

Max breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. He was safe. Now, all he had to do was wait a few minutes, then he could sneak out and get back to one of his parents.

The silence stretched for several minutes. Just as he was thinking about trying to leave, he heard someone running outside. He held his breath. The loose board creaked as someone scrambled inside. His heart hammered in his ears. The ladder groaned in agony as someone quickly made their way up.

Oh, _fuck_.

### 

“This is our boathouse!” Lilian boasted, gesturing to the pretty, light-blue building. “It's got everything in it for activities on the lake! We keep a wide variety of life jackets so everyone's fits correctly, and we keep the boat tags up to date. Here, we can-” she went to open the door, but stopped when she saw a group of older kids walking toward them. What the…? She straightened. “What are you guys doing back here? And without anyone else…?”

A boy with dark skin shrugged. “Max and Louis disappeared, so Matty went to look for them, then David got tired of waiting and sent us back so he could go looking.”

Lilian paled. She looked at Daniel, saw the concerned look on his face, and cursed internally. Shit! This was making a terrible impression! She _had_ to fix this!! “Oh! Well, I'm sure it's fine! Louis probably just wanted to brag about something! Uh,” She pointed at Sophie, “Sophie! Why don't you go make sure they don't need any help?”

Sophie blinked in surprise. “Uh, wouldn't it be better to-?”

“ _Go, Sophie_!” Lilian growled through a forced smile.

The girl jolted and nodded quickly. “Okay, sorry, Lilian.” A few kids tugged on her sweater, begging her not to leave. She ruffled their hair and headed up the hill.

Lilian turned back to Daniel and laughed weakly, “No worries! I'm sure there was just some little miscommunication! This never happens, really!”

Daniel looked at her and smiled pleasantly. “Oh, I'm sure Max is just causing a little trouble. He's been fussy all day. Terribly sorry about that! Please, continue.” He hoped that was what it was, anyway. He'd never lost control of a situation before, and David hadn't either. Surely, this was just Max causing an issue. Or, maybe Max had already started the process of taking out the counselors. 

The thought made Daniel proud. He could make an ideal son out of Max yet.

### 

When Sophie topped the hill, she looked up and down the path. The tour would have gone through the camper cabins, so surely those were already searched. Maybe the counselor cabins? She headed in that direction. It didn't take long for her to see her intuition had steered her right. 

The first cabin -the one Louis and Matty stayed in- was sitting with it's front door wide open. She hurried over and cautiously entered. She opened her mouth to call out, but a choking noise stopped her. It was coming from Louis’ room. Was he throwing up? 

With a hand over her heart, she hurried quietly over to his room, intending to offer help. When she stepped into the doorway, however, the breath she'd taken to speak was knocked out of her.

David looked at her, his eyes wild. He was bloody, as was the floor and even some furniture and walls. Matty's body was lying in the center of it all, his torso brutalized beyond recognition. 

Sophie couldn't breathe. Couldn't speak. Her brain screamed to run. She did.

“SOPHIE!”

She was out the door in a second, but heard him not far behind. She could run back to the group, but God she couldn't lead this monster back to the kids. They _couldn't_ see this! She ran in the opposite direction instead, heading for her secret hiding spot. She'd be safe there. He wouldn't find her. She could hide until he moved on, then get back to the group and warn Lilian. 

She ran hard, never looking back. She could feel him behind her though. She knew he was _right_ there, and if he caught her she'd be dead. 

She practically slammed into the side of the barn. The loose board jiggled from the impact. She shoved it aside and quickly crawled into the small hole behind it. It was just large enough for her and her small frame. She prayed he wouldn't fit.

He didn't.

She scrambled up the ladder to the loft as David banged in the wall. _“SOPHIE!”_ He yelled, _“Stop running! We can talk this out!”_

She whimpered as she pulled herself onto the upper floor. The wood scratched at her clothes but she didn't care. She was desperate to be safe.

The banging stopped. Despite the pounding of her heart in her ears, she could hear him walking around the building, looking for the door. Thank God it was locked. She pressed herself against the wall and clutched her sweater over her heart.

“Sophie?” 

The soft voice nearby made her jolt so badly it nearly sent her through the roof. A soft scream escaped her.

“Sshh! It's Max!” The voice continued, “I'm hiding too!”

She barely relaxed. Hugging herself, she looked through the darkness at the child peeking at her from behind a crate. “Max? Who're you hiding from?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Max had heard the commotion and put two and two together already. He knew who Sophie was hiding from. “David!” He answered in a whisper as well.

“Your dad-”

“He's not my dad! They kidnapped me! They're murderers!”

She gasped and scooted closer to him. “I'm so sorry! David killed Matty! I didn't mean to lead him to you!”

“It's okay! He's terrified of heights! He won't come up here!”

“Oh, thank G-”

The door banged as someone slammed against it. Sophie slapped a hand against her mouth to stop a scream.

_**BAM! BAM!** _

_“I know you're in there, Sophie! Come out and I won't have to hurt you!”_ David yelled.

Sophie whimpered and curled up as the banging continued.

Max crawled out from behind the crate and nodded for her to follow. “Come on. We have to keep an eye on him in case we need to run. Maybe he'll give up, but most likely he'll find a way in and we _need_ to know where he is!”

With a tiny sob and trembling arms, she slowly crawled behind him. They made their way silently to the edge of the loft and hid behind a thick pillar.

The barn was older than the camp, so it's doors weren't as strong as they once were. With a few more hard slams, the wood that the lock was on busted. The door flew open.

David was panting as he stepped inside. His knife was still clenched in his hand. He was still so very bloody. Sophie wanted to puke. She pressed a hand to her mouth again.

“Sophie?” He called again as he looked around. The light coming in through the door cut through the darkness, but there were still deep shadows all over the barn.

“Hey, Sophie.” Max whispered behind her. “Can you fly?”

She was too scared to ask what he meant. She wouldn't have gotten the chance anyway. A hard shove to her back sent her lurching forward. Her hands flew out to try and brace herself, but there was nothing. A scream was ripped out of her throat. She was falling, falling, falling…

“ _Uck!_ ” It wasn't a word, just a noise forced from her throat when she landed, shoulders first, atop a piece of equipment. The short windshield on it shattered. The steel pole holding up one side of the windshield went right through the side of her abdomen, jutting from it and dripping with blood.

She coughed. Her head turned and her eyes slowly shut. She didn't move.

David stared in shock, completely taken off guard. At first he thought she'd fallen, but his eyes darted upward. 

Max was leaning out from the loft, his eyes wide and a massive smile on his face. “Wow…” He breathed, “Cool…”

“ _Max_!” David practically sobbed in relief. “Oh my _God_ I was so _worried_ about you!”

Max looked at him. “Who's blood is that?”

“Matty's! Did he touch you?!”

“Yeah a little. I got him pretty good though. Looks like you got him better. Hold on, I'll be right down.” With the light from the open door he was able to see. He stood and hurried over to the ladder. It creaked as he hurried down, then jumped the last few pegs. His feet barely touched the ground before he was being scooped up.

David squeezed him tightly. “I’m so sorry, Max! I should have come looking sooner! This is _all_ my _fault_! I’m so _sorry_!”

Max grunted and struggled. “Goddamnit! Put me down! I forgive you! At least we got two dead counselors out of it!”

“But at what _cost_?!” 

“My goddamn hoodie! Put! Me! Down!”

David squeezed him a bit more, then knelt. He gently sat Max on his feet. “Are you sure you’re okay, Max? Do you want to talk about it?”

“No!” The boy snapped, “Jesus, all he did was rub my stomach! It wasn’t a big deal!” He hugged himself unconsciously.

David reached out and gently stroked Max’s hair, a pained look on his face. “I’m so sorry, Max.” He spoke gently, soothingly, “No one should ever touch you like that unless you want them to. It should be someone you care about and trust. I’m so sorry you had to experience that. I’m here for you if you ever want to talk, about that or about _anything_. I just want what’s best for you… I’m sorry I messed up.”

Max shrugged, but didn’t swat David’s hand away. “I know. It’s okay. I’m okay. It wasn’t your fault. It was Louis. Turns out he’s the guy I pushed off the roof. He wants revenge and he talked Matty into getting touchy, not that that freak had much of any protests about it…”

The fury that had previously subsided roared back to life. David took a deep breath. “Where is he?”

“Dunno. When I got away from Matty, Louis chased me out the window. I hid in here and he moved on.”

David stood. “He’s next on the list then. Come on.” He led Max out of the musty old barn and shut the door behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two down, two to go! Max is back with his dad and now it's time to hunt Louis... I wonder who will _really_ come out with scars after all is said and done...
> 
> Again, thank you for reading and for commenting! This fandom is AMAZING! You may want to check out my fandom blog (aasfandoms) as I might start putting some art up for future chapters, as sort of teasers. My art skills aint great tho, just fyi.
> 
> See ya laters!


	12. The Final Camp 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another weekend another chapter! Enjoy!
> 
> Another big thanks to the awesome people who leave comments, asks, and messages! I love you guys!
> 
> Also, shoutout to t-nairex on tumblr for their beautiful fanart!! Thank you so much!! <3

Holy.

Shit.

Louis froze in his tracks, all the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. His blood was cold, his heart hammering, and panic made his skin burn. His eyes were so wide it felt like blood vessels were popping.

Out of the barn, where he thought he’d heard Sophie scream and had come to help, stepped a bloody man. It took all of a second for Louis to register it as David. Max was in tow, dusty but uninjured. 

Who’s… blood…

David shut the door and suddenly saw him, standing there like an idiot only twenty feet away. “ _Louis_!” David hissed and squared his shoulders.

That was when Louis saw the knife, and _that_ was when he realized he needed to fucking run. 

How unfortunate that his boots were meant more for fashion than for running.

Without a destination in mind, he turned and ran as hard as he could. He heard David doing the same. _SHIT._

_SHITSHITSHIT!_

He needed a weapon -something to defend himself with- and his mind raced with possible sources. The barn would have been best, but he needed far away from it. The maintenance shack, maybe? No, he would need to unlock it and that would take too damn long. He’d be struggling with the key and get stabbed in the back.

Best option? Kitchen. There were knives in the kitchen. It was unlocked. He was already running in that direction. There were places to hide too, and he’d know the layout. Yes, he could do this! He’d kill this fucking lunatic and then take care of Max too!

The main hall wasn’t too far. He could see it. He ran faster, desperately trying to get there before David got to him.

He succeeded.

The door burst open with a ‘BANG!’ Louis practically dove across a counter as he grabbed a big knife out of a block of them, which of course sent the rest skittering across said counter and the floor. He stumbled before slamming his back against a wall, hidden from the doorway.

Barely three seconds later, David was in the kitchen, panting and pissed. “ _Louis_!” He snarled as he looked around. It was dim. He flipped on the lights. The kitchen shined. The cleanliness was impressive, but he wasn’t worried about it at the moment.

“Come out, Louis…” He growled as he slowly searched the kitchen. “I’m _going_ to find you and I’m _going_ to kill you for what you did to Max… for what you tried to get Matty to do, and for what he _did_ too…” He noted the scattered knives and kicked a few under the counter, out of reach. 

Louis’ heart was pounding so loudly he could barely hear David’s cautious footsteps. Closer, closer, closer…. Right around the corner. Louis took a deep breath.

Pain sliced diagonally across David’s face. He screamed and stumbled backward, falling as he did so. His back hit the ground, followed by his head, making him drop the knife. For a split second, he saw Louis coming down on him, and was able to grab the man’s arms and hold them tightly, preventing any more stabbing or slashing. Then, blood covered his vision. He had to squeeze his eyes shut. He was blind. All he could do was try to keep Louis’ arms away from him.

“You _fucker_!” Louis spat, “I’ll _kill_ you and your fucking _kid_!”

“Fuck you!” David spat right back, “Even if you kill me, Max is too goddamn smart to be taken out by a _pissant_ like you! Daniel will make you fucking _sorry_!”

“I’ll cut your _fucking_ tongue out!”

Max’s legs were a bit too short to be able to keep up with two grown adults running full sprint. David could take care of that fucker though, so he wasn’t in much of a hurry. A quick jog got him to the kitchen, where he’d seen them enter. The door was still standing open. He stepped inside. It smelled of copper. Blood.

David’s blood.

His gut twisted when he saw Louis over David, a bloody knife in one hand, and David’s face completely caked in red.

“ _DAD_!” Max shrieked without even thinking about it.

Louis’ head snapped up, his eyes full of rage. “You’re about to watch your daddy _die_ , you little _shit_!!”

“MAX _RUN_!” David yelled. He couldn’t see, he couldn’t protect his son like this!

Suddenly, Louis’ arms yanked out of his grasp. A foot connected with his ribs. The air was knocked out of his lungs.

_‘God no please not Max!’_

Max bolted when Louis suddenly came at him. But, he didn’t leave. He ran along the counters, a plan already forming. The kitchen was big with lots of counters. One could easily make circles around it. He’d make as many circles as he needed to find something that would fuck Louis up royally.

There was a clean rag hanging on an oven. He snatched it as he ran. Several of the counters had spaces where things could be stored and grabbed from either side, and other spaces where the countertop could be lifted and someone could walk through. For once, Max was pleased with his tiny stature. 

His hair barely brushed the underside of a counter as he ran under it. Louis cussed at him and had to jump and slide over in order to continue the chase. “Stop running you little _shit_! You won’t get away!”

Some shelves under the counters were open. Max snatched a can of something out from under one as he ran. He glanced down at it. Some kind of oil cooking spray or something. Perfect.

Another open counter. Max went under, Louis went over. They were already more than halfway around the room. Another open space, but this one had some items under it. Fuck it. They’d move.

Max burst through them, barely stumbling. They spilled behind him, creating a small hindrance for Louis when he jumped over. He scrambled over everything without falling. With his attention on the ground, he didn’t notice Max start spraying the oil on the floor behind him as he ran. 

Max came to a halt in front of David, who was sitting up and desperately trying to wipe blood out of his eyes. “David!” Max threw the clean rag in his face, then spun around. He quickly coated the floor in a wide puddle of slippery oil.

David got enough blood off his face and out of his eyes just in time to see Louis slipping and skating over the slick tile. His arms flailed, the knife sent flying, and his legs kicked almost comically. For a split second he was just dangling in the air. The next second, his head slammed into the ground and he was left flat on his back, groaning.

Blood was already flowing into David’s vision again, but only in his left eye. He squeezed it shut, grabbed his knife, and crawled quickly over to Louis. The floor was slick under his palm, but with the rag in one hand and his knees protected by jeans, he was able to make it across without kissing tile.

Within seconds he was straddling Louis. He was furious. Furious about being hurt, furious about Max being in danger, furious that Louis had threatened his son like that, and furious for what he’d had done to Max. David’s fist balled in the front of Louis’ shirt. His other fist slammed into his face over and over and over, David snarling with rage with every blow. Blood dripped from his face and he could taste it on his lips. The cut was deep, but at the moment he didn’t give a shit.

Louis screamed for a while, but his cries grew weak. He was wobbling on the line between conscious and unconscious. His face was bloody. His eyes swollen shut. His nose busted beyond repair. His lips torn. His face ruined.

David was panting again. “Max.” He called, “Come here.”

Max was at his side in a second, sitting on his knees and leaning forward.

David let go of Louis’ shirt and grabbed his hair instead, gripping it tightly so his head couldn’t move. He grabbed the knife with the other. “Watch carefully,” David said in an almost fatherly tone, “This is how you slit someone’s throat.”

Max watched with wide eyes. The knife bit deep into the side of Louis’ neck. It sliced right across it, like running through paper, and popped out the other side. There was just a single second where Max could see inside, see the esophagus and muscle split in two, then there was just blood. It gushed out like a fountain. Louis began choking, drowning on it. He struggled but couldn’t move with David atop him. Blood sputtered from his mouth. 

Eventually, he stopped moving. His eyes were wide and glassy.

“Cool…” Max breathed.

David dropped the knife and again tried to wipe blood out of his eyes. “Max… Can you help me to a sink, please?”

“Yes!” Max got to his feet and grabbed David’s arm. He gently pulled him forward, leading him over to cleaner floor. David had to grip the counter to stand. His legs trembled. How much blood had he lost?

Max pulled his hand, leading him around the counter slowly. There was a sink right on the other side. He stopped David in front of it.

“Thank you.” David breathed. With red and blurry vision, he fumbled with the faucets until water came out. He leaned over and stuck his head under it. The water ran with red as it circled through his hair then across his face. He took deep breaths to calm himself and try to stop the light-headedness. He turned his head back and forth slowly to wash the cut, the blood, and his eyes. Opening them hurt. Feeling the water run through them hurt. Feeling the blood wash away felt amazing.

He felt Max hug his leg tightly and couldn’t help but smile. Blindly and with a shaking hand, he reached down and stroked Max’s hair. “It’s okay.” He soothed. “We’re fine now. Just one counselor left and I’m sure she won’t be a problem. I just need to rest a minute… Will you find me another clean rag, please?”

Max was gone and back in seconds. He pressed a cloth into David’s hand. “Thank you.” David breathed. He shut the water off and brought the rag to his face. The cool, soft cloth felt soothing and it had a wonderful, clean scent. He dabbed his face dry, then pressed the rag against the long cut across his face. Fuck, how bad was it? He’d have to worry about it later.

“I’m so proud of you, Max.” He said with a soft laugh, “I wish I could have seen what you did, but what I heard was impressive anyway. You’re a brilliant kid. Anyone in their right mind would be proud to be your dad. I am.”

“Are you gonna be okay?” Max asked. His voice sounded so small.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine… I have to ask another favor though….”

“Name it.”

“I need bandages or something… and we still need to take care of the other counselor… I’m having a hard time thinking-”

“I can take care of both of those in one go.” Max stated confidently. “Sit down and leave it to me. I’ll be back with her and something to patch you up.”

### 

Lilian was tense. Her neck was tight, her shoulders hunched, and her hands clenched. Still no word back from the other counselors. She'd beat the Holy Hell out of every single one of them if the camp failed this inspection due to whatever BS they were pulling.

The campers were eagerly talking to Daniel, telling him about various activities. He seemed to have a way with kids. She was a little jealous of that, admittedly, but it hardly mattered at the moment.

She was just about to try to wrangle everyone in to get this back on track, when she saw Max approaching. There was blood and his shoes. And hadn't he been wearing a hoodie before?

“Max?” She blinked.

Daniel turned around and smiled at him. “Max! There you are!” He noted the blood, but didn't mention it.

“Hey, it's Lilian, right?” Max quirked a brow at her, “Listen, there's a real long story behind this, but to make things quick I just gotta ask you to come with me. We need some shit from the infirmary and then we gotta go to the kitchen.”

“Uh… w-why?” 

“Again, _long story_. Louis was showing off with knives. Matty got involved. Some blood was spilled and now Sophie and David are kiiiinda holding some stuff together and asked me to come get you to get bandages and shit. I'm not supposed go back into the kitchen. Even though blood doesn't bother me but makes David pass out.”

Her mouth hung open in shock. “ _What_?!”

“Time is of the essence, Lil.”

Daniel coughed to get her attention. “I'll watch the kids. You best get that taken care of.”

How, oh how, had everything gone so wrong?? Lilian lamented this situation, and her horribly tragic life. Still stunned and upset and now leaning quickly toward a panic attack, she agreed to follow Max back.

As they left, Daniel couldn't help a big smile. So, he'd been right. Max had initiated the murders and now he was finishing them. David had been right about him. Max was an excellent addition. An ideal son. One they could be proud of.

Lilian hurried along, her anxiety building. They arrived at the infirmary and she unlocked the door. Inside were many shelves and cabinets and a few beds and other equipment. “How bad are they hurt?” She asked as she began grabbing bandages.

“Pretty bad. Bandages, pain meds, ointment, do they make anything that would kinda hold a cut closed without stitches?” 

She groaned and grabbed several more items, then put them in a single bag, along with one first-aid kit. They hurried out.

The kitchen wasn't far. She threw the door open and stumbled in. 

It smelled wrong. The kitchen always smelled of either bleach or food, and this smell was neither. It was like metal… copper. Familiar, but _wrong_. The hairs on the back of her neck were on end. Her gut twisted. It _must_ have been blood.

Max kicked the door shut behind them.

She took two steps forward, searching. She took a breath, about to call for someone, anyone really, when the words caught in her throat and her heart stopped.

Louis was laying on the floor in a pool of blood. His face was a mess, his eyes open but empty, and his neck split wide open. That wasn't some freak accident. That was fucking murder.

Lilian screamed. She dropped the bag and spun around. Max was between her and the door. In an instant, she knew this was his doing. There was no other explanation. Her fear became laced with rage. A fist clenched. It connected with Max’s face, sending him stumbling to the ground. The door was unprotected. She grabbed the handle.

Someone grabbed her hair.

Her face met the door so hard she was momentarily unconscious. Blood poured out of her broken nose. Her legs went limp. Fingers in her hair tightened, drove her head into a counter. They let go. She hit the floor in a total daze.

David stood over her, one eye still clenched shut as blood ran over it. He’d had every intention of making her death swift and virtually painless, but then she’d hit his son. He couldn’t stand for that. “Max, are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Max picked himself up, rubbing his cheek. “She doesn’t hit as hard as my father did.”

David knelt over the groaning girl. He sat on her back and grabbed her hair again. Yanking her head back made her cry out in pain. David tossed Max his knife. “Cut her, like I showed you.”

Max took the knife and stepped forward. Lilian’s neck was exposed just for him. His heart was pounding. This wouldn’t be the same as pushing someone to their death, he could tell. He was scared and excited and nervous and eager. With a deep breath, he pressed the knife against her throat. With as much strength as he could muster -since he knew this would not be as easy as slicing through paper- he tore the knife through her neck.

Instantly, he was covered in blood. 

Transfixed, he watched Lilian gasp and choke and struggle, her eyes bulging in horror. It took seconds for her to slowly bleed out and stop moving. The blood oozed a while longer, then ceased when her heart finally stopped.

David released her hair. Her head hit the floor with a splat. He stood, smiling. “I’m so proud of you!!” He stroked Max’s hair, “How do you feel? Did you like it?”

Max blinked a few times, then looked up at his dad. He grinned. “That was _fun_.” 

“I’m so glad!” David was beaming, absolutely elated that his son shared his passion.

They were a mess. The kitchen was a mess. Shit, most of the camp was probably a mess. David was beginning to feel light-headed from blood loss. He stepped over Lilian and went to sit down against a clean counter.

Max quickly fetched the bag. He brought it over to David and dumped it out.

“Do you know what any of that stuff is?” David asked, looking over the numerous items on the floor.

“Yeah, most of it.” Max grabbed some alcohol pads and ripped open one of the sealed packages. He rang out the excess alcohol, then gently pressed it to David’s face, right under his right eye.

David hissed when it burned. He didn’t move or protest as Max carefully cleaned the cut. “So… how bad is it anyway?”

“It’s pretty big… Doesn’t look too deep to me, but…”

“Is there a mirror in here anywhere?”

“No. But, I can bring you a big knife.”

“Yes, please. I’d like to see it.”

Max handed David the pad so he could continue carefully cleaning. The boy walked over to the knives scattered on the ground. There was a big, squarish one made of reflective metal. He picked it up and brought it over.

David took it and held it in front of his face. 

The cut ran from right under his right eye, across his nose, through the tip of his eyebrow, and over his left eye. It was nearly a perfect diagonal. The skin around it was red from the wound, and the part over the bridge of his nose had clearly run through the cartilage. There was no doubt this thing would leave a scar, and he’d probably have a permanent bald line through that eyebrow. Damnit.

Oh, well. At least he hadn’t lost an eye, or his life.

They worked together to get him patched up. Ointment was applied, some small band-aids to hold the cut close together in wider places so it would fuse back together, then gauze and bandages. With the way they had to wrap the bandages to keep them in place, they ended up covering his right eye.

There were pain pills in the bag too. David took two, then helped Max pack everything back into the bag. He pulled the boy’s blood-soaked shirt off and cleaned him up a bit so he couldn’t get blood everywhere. He dug the car keys out of his pocket and handed them to Max. “Take this to the car, and get the koolaid and poison out of the back. We have to get it prepared for Daniel.”

Max took the keys and bag and nodded firmly. 

New Mission: Get rid of the kids and get the fuck out of here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's 4 counselors down, 20 kids to go... I wonder how Daniel is going to react to David's little injury...
> 
> Hint: Not well.


	13. By Moonlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uuuhh so it's not the weekend yet. I've been working on this all week since I've been ~inspired~ and so here it is early! Hopefully, I will also get a chapter up this weekend, but I do have to attend the State Fair at least one day and I may be visiting friends on the other. So we shall see.
> 
> I wanna thank t-nairex again for being an awesome person! Chatting with you keeps me inspired to work on this, and helps bring me new ideas to make this story even better! <3
> 
> I also wanna thank dreamingfandom for the cute Animal Crossing idea at the end of the chapter! So touching <3

_‘Counselors are down. Max and I will make the drinks. 30min min.’_

Daniel grinned at the text. Perfect. Things were moving smoothly, just as planned. This situation was entirely under control, even though it had seemed a little chaotic for a moment there.

“So, kids…” He turned to look at the group of tiny humans who were eager to please him. “Do any of you have an interest in space…?”

### 

David cleaned up at a sink, washing off as much blood as he could. He helped Max do the same, making him look more presentable. Afterall, David couldn’t very well carry out the drinks now. Max would have to play that part. 

David was a little wobbly, so he mostly had to instruct Max on what to do. Once the koolaid was all ready, David poured it into cups and put them carefully onto a cart. He and Max sat down together on a clean counter and drank some unpoisoned koolaid while they waited for Daniel to get the kids into the dining hall.

“David?” Max asked softly.

“Hm?” David hummed over his cup.

“Are… are we going to be okay?”

David quirked a brow and swallowed his sip. “Of course. Why wouldn’t we be?”

Max looked around. “Blood. Evidence. That kinda stuff.”

David smiled softly and rustled Max’s hair. “Don’t worry. We’ll do some clean-up before we go. It’ll be alright.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. You have nothing to worry about. Even if we do get caught, I promise we’ll say we kidnapped you. You won’t get in trouble.”

“I don’t care about getting in trouble…” Max looked at the floor, “I don’t… I don’t want to be separated from you… I don’t want to see my parents again… I like you and Daniel…”

“Aw, Max!” David’s eyes were sparkling, “We adore you too, I swear it. We’ll never be separated, I promise.” He gently pulled the boy over to hug him. Max didn’t protest. He put his cup down and wrapped his arms around David’s torso tightly.

For the first time in his life, he knew he could trust what an adult was promising him. He knew he had two people who wouldn’t fail or abandon him. Life would be good from here on out.

### 

Daniel had the kids eating out of the palm of his hand in no time. He had them lead him up to the dining hall, then got them all seated. They were talking eagerly to him and to one another. What good little kids.

The kitchen doors swung open and a cart rolled out. Max was pushing it, his hair barely visible over the top. He pushed it up by Daniel.

The blonde quirked a brow. “Where’s David?”

“Cleaning up.” Max stated, “He got pretty messy.”

“Ah, I understand.” He patted Max’s head and stood. He passed the drinks out, explaining that they shouldn’t be touched until everyone was ready to toast. Max took two unpoisoned drinks and sat down, putting one in Daniel’s spot and keeping one for himself.

Daniel finally finished and sat down again. He raised his cup. “A toast, to this wonderful summer camp and it’s brilliant campers!”

There were giggles and cheers. They drank. Conversation flowed. Daniel tussled Max’s hair gently. “I’m very proud of you, Max. You really showed initiative today. I couldn’t ask for a better son.”

“Thanks, dad.” Max replied without sarcasm. 

Daniel blinked in surprise, having not expected to hear Max refer to him as his father. “Oh- You’re- you’re welcome.” He patted his head, then took a drink. 

Like clockwork, kids began to droop and rest their heads on the table. 

“So, this is how it happens…” Max muttured. 

“Mhm. It’s quite painless.” Daniel explained. “There’s no sense in hurting kids like we do adults… They’re pure. Their deaths should always be quick and painless.”

Max quirked a brow. “Didn’t you try to murder me, like, the first day we met?”

“Yes, but it would have been quick and mostly painless.”

Max hummed, accepting the answer.

Slowly but surely, all the kids came to rest on the tables. Their eyes shut, expressions peaceful, tiny bodies completely relaxed. At peace. Ascended.

Except for one.

A young girl looked around in horror and confusion. Her ponytail swished with each jerk of her head.

“Uh oh.” Max whispered.

Without a word, Daniel stood. A smile in place, he strided over to the girl.

“What’s going on?!” She looked up at him fearfully.

He noted that she had not touched the koolaid. She had a bottle of water instead. “You don’t like koolaid?” He asked kindly.

“I’m diabetic… Why is everyone asleep?” There was a whimper in her voice.

Daniel put a hand on her shoulder. “They’re just resting. You should drink the koolaid, darling. It won’t hurt you. You’ll have a little nap with your friends, and then we can go play again.”

Tears welled in her eyes. She wasn’t stupid. “I don’t want to drink it… I can’t drink it…”

“Yes, you can. Just a few sips. Go ahead. Don’t you trust me?”

She sniffled. “I can’t drink it…! I’ll go to the hospital…!”

“You won’t, darling, I promise.”

“I don’t want to drink it! Please, I wanna go home!”

“Oh, my dear…” Daniel pulled a long knife out of his pocket and held it up with a smile. He squeezed her shoulder tightly so she couldn’t run. “We can do this the _easy_ way, or the _hard_ way. _Drink it_.”

She began outright sobbing. Taking quick, shaking breaths, she slowly grabbed the cup. “Please… I just wanna go- h-home.”

“You can go home when you take a drink. I promise.”

She let out another sob and brought the cup to her lips. She took two gulps, then put the cup back down with a grimace. Another sob. Her shoulders quaked as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Ssshh, there, there. Everything’s okay! You’ll get to meet Xeemug soon, just like I said. Aren’t you excited?” He put the knife away and rubbed her back.

She continued crying for a few long minutes. It slowed as her body drooped. She eventually rested her arms on the table and tucked her head in. Only when her breathing stopped did Daniel finally stop stroking her back. He left her resting there and walked back over to Max.

Max had watched the whole thing. He looked up at Daniel. “I can’t tell if you love kids or hate them.”

Daniel’s expression bordered on hurt. “I just told you, children are pure and should never be hurt. I love kids. I want them to be safe and happy with Xeemug, instead of having to deal with the cold and merciless world… I want the same for you, Max.” He smiled softly, “I think you deserve to be happy and I don’t want you to have to suffer in this ignorant world… But, since you are helping us help others ascend, you’re guaranteed an even greater happiness after ascension. That will make your time here worth it, I promise. Besides, I’m a little selfish, and I want to keep you here with me as long as possible. I know David wants that too, very much, and his desires outweigh my own.”

Max felt… touched. This man clearly cared about him in some twisted sense. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, Max had yet to decide. There were other issues to worry about at the moment anyway.

“Thanks. I like being here with you guys too. I have to tell you something though, and you can’t freak out.”

Daniel’s smile fell. “What?”

“I was asked to warn you… David got a little bit hurt, so he’s got-”

“What?!” Panic set in and every piece of body language was screaming it.

“It’s okay!” Max tried to calm him, “He’s fine! It’s just a cut! No big deal-!”

Daniel was already bursting into the kitchen. “David?! DAVID!!”

David was sitting on the floor, resting against a counter with his eyes closed. He was jolted when the door burst open and Daniel was screaming his name. Damn, hadn’t he told Max to reassure Daniel- Oh, who was he kidding. He’d fully expected this reaction, no matter what.

“Hi, Danny!” David smiled up at him, “I’m fine! Just got a little cut-”

Daniel fell to his knees and cupped David’s face. “Davy, what _happened_?!”

“It’s just a cut! I’m okay!” David laughed gently, trying to reassure him. “Louis sliced my face a little. It’s not big or deep!” He traced a finger over the bandages where the cut ran. “I still have both eyes and all of my face! The bandages make it look worse than it is! It’ll barely be a scar. I’m really okay, I promise!”

Daniel’s panic faded into what looked like fury. “David. What. Happened. Today.”

David blinked in surprise. The tone was… colder than anything Daniel had ever said to him. “Uh… Well, a lot… We can fill you in in the car, maybe… please…?”

Daniel didn’t say a word. His expression was stoic. He took David’s hands and stood, pulling him up with him. He laced their fingers together on one hand, and with the other he grabbed Max’s tiny hand and pulled him along with them.

They left the building. Daniel got clean clothes from the car and put them on the hood. David and Max rinsed off with a water hose. Daniel was silent, leaning against the car with a distant look.

“Is he mad?” Max whispered to David as they finished up.

“I… I don’t know.” David whispered back, “I’ve never… seen him like this…”

“I’m… scared…” Max admitted shamefully.

“It’s okay… I’m sure it’s nothing big… We’ll be okay.” David smiled gently and ruffled Max’s hair.

They got dressed and climbed into the car. Daniel was driving. David couldn’t really do it with one eye and blood loss. They pulled away from the camp and headed down the forest road.

David quickly snapped back into his cheery demeanor and told Daniel all about their wild day, with Max adding his bits in where necessary.

Touring the dorms, Louis snatching Max, Matty going to look for them, Matty getting touchy at Louis’ suggestion. Max’s grand escape, David’s brutal slaughter, Sophie, the barn, the kitchen. A perfect plan concocted by Max, Louis’ death, and finally Lilian’s demise. A hectic day, but overall successful.

Daniel was silent the entire time, save for a few hums here and there. His expression was neutral, his eyes never straying from the road. When the story ended, the car fell silent.

David looked over his shoulder at Max in the back seat. They exchanged worried glances. Neither wanted to try to break the silence. Currently, Daniel was impossible to predict, even for David.

And that scared him.

They drove through forest and mountains. The radio faded in and out. When the static finally became too much in this already painful silence, David dug through his glove compartment and pulled out a CD. Old country and folk music. It played softly as they drove. No one protested it.

They made one stop in a tiny mountain town for gas and food. They barely communicated. David was miserable, tense, and stressed. He could tell Max wasn’t doing well either. Daniel was still silent, his expression still unreadable.

Eventually, the sun sank below the tree line. They were still far out in the country. Daniel pulled off the main road and headed down a dirt path that probably led all of nowhere. David felt ashamed to feel afraid of this. He looked in the back seat. Max was curled up in a blanket, fast asleep. Exhaustion had gotten the better of him, not to mention the long, difficult day… Poor kid.

They soon turned off the dirt path onto grass. There were tall rocks sticking out of the ground in several places. Daniel parked the car in the center of them, effectively hiding them from any roads.

The car shut off.

Silence.

Painful, deafening silence.

David took a quiet breath. “I’ll sleep in the back with Max, so you can have the passenger-”

“We need to talk.” Daniel climbed out of the car after saying his first words in hours. 

David swallowed. His heart was pounding. He pushed his door open and followed. Both doors swung shut, gently rocking the car. 

Daniel led him over to a shorter rock and they sat down on it, facing away from the car. The sunlight peaked through the trees at them. It was more than halfway below the horizon. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves all around them. The smell of leaves and grass and dirt and _nature_ filled their lungs.

This would be pretty romantic if David weren’t scared out of his wits at the moment.

Once the silence between them became too painful, David whispered, “Are you mad at me…?”

Daniel’s head dipped. His shoulders shook with what looked like laughter. It only took a second for David to realize that it was not. Daniel let out a sob and covered his face with both hands.

“O-oh my God! Danny, what’s wrong?!” He put a hand on his shoulder, but not a moment later he was yanked into a tight embrace.

Daniel buried his face in David’s neck. “I’m sorry!” He sobbed, his whole body quaking with it, “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m so _sorry_ Davy I’m sorry sorry sorry…!” The word tumbled from his lips without any sign of stopping, as if it was the only word in the world Daniel could utter.

David hugged him tightly. “Danny, Danny! Ssshhh, ssh ssh ssh, it’s okay! It’s okay! I’m right here, I’m right here. We’re okay. I _love_ you!”

“How can you?! How can you when I’ve done this to you!?” Daniel’s voice was bordering on hysterical.

“Daniel, you didn’t _do anything_!” David tangled one hand in blonde hair, gently stroking. “Accidents _happen_! I’m _fine_! You can’t blame yourself for this!”

“It’s my fault, David!” Daniel suddenly sat up and gripped David’s shoulders. He looked terrified and agonized. “I _shouldn’t_ have taken on such a large camp! I _shouldn’t_ have let us get separated like that! I _shouldn’t_ have lost so much control over the situation! I _fucked up_ and you _paid_ for it! It’s _my fault_!”

David cupped his husband’s face. “Daniel!” He said firmly. “Suck it up and _listen_ to me!”

Daniel gasped softly at the words, but his sobs quieted.

“Danny…” David took a gentler tone. “Life is crazy. It takes twists and turns and they’re hard to control. There are so many things that could go wrong or right at any given moment. To think anything is your own fault is ludicrous… Every single thing that happens is the result of an ever moving series of events that spans forever. Nothing that happened today was your fault. It wasn’t mine and it wasn’t Max’s and it wasn’t _yours_. Things _happen_! That’s just the way the world is! I’m okay! I’m alive and I have you and Max and I’m _so happy_! Please, Danny, _please_ , don’t blame yourself. Don’t feel guilty. I don’t blame you for anything. Don’t do this to yourself, please… It hurts me too. I _love_ you.”

Daniel took a shaky breath. He sniffled and cupped David’s face. “I love you too. More than anything. More than anyone. I’m sorry I kind of lost it there. I’m sorry I’ve been cold. I was barely holding myself together and I-I didn’t want to lose it in front of Max… I’m sorry. I love you. I’m- I’m better now. I’m okay. We’re okay.”

“We’re okay.” David repeated softly. He pressed their lips together in a gentle kiss. A loving kiss. Arms embraced him. He pulled Daniel close and rubbed small circles in his back. When they parted, both were at ease. “Danny?” David whispered.

“Yes, my love?” Daniel whispered back.

“Will you make love to me, please? In the grass under the stars?”

Daniel hesitated. “Davy, your injury…”

“It’s not bad. I’m fine. Please… I love feeling you inside me. I feel so connected to you when we make love. I really need that connection right now. Please…”

Daniel couldn’t possibly say no to that, or David’s adorable, pleading expression. He kissed him again, a little more firmly this time. With the utmost care, he gently led David off the rock and seated him in the grass. Their lips met again, over and over, slowly. Daniel’s hands slid underneath David’s shirt. His skin was warm and smooth, just like he remembered it. David lifted his arms, and Daniel tugged the shirt over his head, laying it down in the grass behind him. He kissed his neck and caressed his chest. He smelled of cedar. Daniel loved it.

Soon, another shirt graced the ground with the first. David’s hands wandered Daniel’s torso, caressing and teasing. They slid down his sides and tugged on the hem of his pants. They found the front. Button undone. Zipper unzipped. They went down easily after that.

Daniel shed his pants and laid them aside. He kissed David deeply and slowly laid him down on their shirts. He kissed his neck and chest and stomach, moving slowly down his body. His fingers made quick work of David’s fly, and soon he was slowly sliding his pants off. He laid them aside as well.

His hands and lips found David’s hips. He kissed and nipped his abdomen, just barely teasing the hem of his underwear. Eventually, he slowly slid them down as well. The head of David’s cock peeked out, hard and leaking. Daniel kissed the tip, then took the head in his mouth. He gave it a light suck, enough to make David arch and his hips lift. In one quick move, Daniel pulled his underwear down and right off, tossing it near the pants.

He licked the tip, then kissed the shaft. Slowly, he pressed kisses all the way up David’s body again. Their lips met. Soft. Loving. Daniel sat up. David was able to reach down and gently trace the bulge in his underwear. He palmed it, then stroked it, then slipped his hand up a leg hole to grab it. It was thick and heavy and hot. It would be inside him soon. His body shivered with anticipation.

David pressed his thumb against the slit, teasing it just enough to make Daniel groan, then released him. Daniel’s underwear soon joined the other pair. He grabbed his wallet and pulled out a little packet of lubricant. David spread his legs.

The sun was gone. It was nearly pitch black. The moon and the stars offered little light, but they didn’t need much. They knew one another’s body’s well.

Daniel’s hands massaged David’s hips as he lifted them. When he entered, firm and slow and so gentle, David gasped and arched. Daniel filled him. Deep and thick and hot and oh _God_ he was almost too much but it was _so good_.

“I love how perfect you fit inside me…” David breathed, wrapping his arms around his lover.

“I love how perfectly you fit in my arms.” Daniel replied softly, hugging him tightly.

They moved together, slow and gentle and smooth. David’s breaths were deep but trembling. He moved his hips with Daniel’s thrusts, taking him deep each time. Daniel knew his angles, and the head of his cock rubbed across David’s prostate with each slow thrust. Daniels face was buried in David’s neck. One of David’s hands caressed his blonde hair, while the other kept a firm hold on his back to keep them both steady.

“Oh, God…” David sighed, barely above a whisper.

“Say my name, not his.” Came Daniel’s gentle command.

David hummed and kissed his ear. “Daniel… You feel so good… Danny…” He closed his eye and just concentrated on moving with him. Every time his prostate was brushed he let out a little gasp or soft whimper. The pleasure pulsed slowly, running steadily through his body then throbbing each time his prostate was prodded. This was exactly what he’d wanted. This was Heaven.

Daniel kissed his neck and gently pushed David’s hand away from his back. He pinned it to the grass, lacing their fingers together. “Cassiopeia is over us tonight.” He whispered against David’s collar. “She’s up there, right beside her husband, Cepheus, and her daughter, Andromeda. A family, spending all of eternity together. That’s what I want for us, David…” 

He lifted his head. The moonlight barely reflected off two damp lines down his face, and tears brimming in his eyes. He rested their foreheads together, gentle pace uninterrupted. “I want to spend every day, every night, every moment of my life with you… I want to grow old with you… I want to ascend with you… I want forever with you… And I want Max there too, and as many other children as you want, Davy… I love you _so fucking much…_ ” His words devolved into a sob.

David kissed him. Deep and passionate, and for a moment everything stilled. Daniel deep inside him, unmoving but trembling.

“I _love_ you…!” David couldn’t help a small sob as well. “I want all of that too! I want every moment, every experience, whether good or bad, to be shared with you! You’re my other half, my whole world… I want to raise Max together, into someone we can be proud of… And, when the time comes… I want to ascend with you too. Eternity among the stars. Just like it’s _meant_ to be. Just like _we’re_ meant to be.”

“David…!”

Their lips met again, deep, full of love and devotion. Movement resumed, just as gentle and loving as before. They moved together, just as they did everything together, and when they finally finished it too was as one, their names on each others lips. 

Under the soft glow of the moon and stars they laid together, pressed close, silent. Hands and fingers soothed and caressed. Lips brushed. Gentle. Heartfelt. Loving.

When the air finally became a bit too chilly to stand, they carefully cleaned up and walked hand-in-hand to the car. 

Max was still fast asleep in the back, curled up with his bear and head barely visible peeking out from under the blanket. With the utmost care, David scooped him up, blanket and all, and carried him to the passenger seat. Daniel grabbed the pillow, then hurried over to open the passenger door. He laid the seat back and put the pillow down. Gently, David laid Max in the seat and situated his blanket around him. Max let out a tiny whine and flipped over. He shuffled for a moment, then stilled, sleeping.

They shut the door, then climbed into the backseat together. The car was locked as they made themselves comfortable. David tucked his head into Daniel's neck. “I love you.” He whispered.

“I love you.” Daniel replied and hugged him close.

The car fell as silent as the dark forest outside it, it's three occupants sleeping soundly.

### 

Daniel woke up when sunlight pressed against his eyelids. He squeezed them and tried to bury his face, but only succeeded in burying his nose in David’s hair. He breathed deeply, taking in his future-husband’s wonderful, natural scent. With a soft groan, he managed to untangle one arm from the blanket and tangle his fingers in red hair.

Birds chirping in the distance helped him remember where they were. He could also hear soft music. When he finally opened his eyes, he could see Max still laying in the passenger seat. He was on his side, playing something on his DS. It had a very pleasant melody.

Daniel took a deep breath and stretched, groaning softly as sleep left him.

Max looked up, watching the man carefully.

Daniel rubbed his face, then smiled tiredly at the boy. “Morning, Max. What time is it?”

“Nine-thirty.”

“Mm, shit. How long have you been awake?”

“‘Bout an hour.”

“I bet you’re hungry then…”

“I ate the last sandwich in the ice chest.”

Daniel chuckled, “Smart kid. We better get out of here, huh?” He sat up on an elbow and gently shook David, speaking gently. “Babe, come on. Time to get going.”

David groaned and pulled the blanket over his head. “No. Hurts.”

Daniel hesitated. “... What hurts…?”

“Head. Tired.” 

“Oh….” Daniel looked up at Max. They had matching concerned looks. Daniel stroked David’s arm through the blanket, “Baby, why don’t you set up so we can take a look at your cut, hm?”

“Mmmmnnnnn.” The noise was definitely one of harsh disagreement, but David pulled the blanket off. “Fine.” His eye was squeezed shut still.

Daniel managed to get up and step out of the car without having to shove David out of the way. The redhead sat up with the biggest frown either of the others had ever seen on his face. He didn’t fuss as Daniel gently undid the old bandages and gauze.

For the first time, Daniel was able to see the cut. It was shockingly smooth and clean, clearly from a very sharp knife. It started just below David’s right eye, dug deep through the bridge of his nose, cut through an eyebrow, and ended over David’s left eye. It didn’t look red or irritated, so Max had obviously cleaned and patched it well. It probably just ached a lot.

“Does anything else hurt, or just the cut?” Daniel asked. If there was an infection anywhere, they’d have to go to a hospital, and that would not be ideal.

“No,” David barely shook his head, “Just the cut. Itches.”

“Poor thing.” Daniel kissed his forehead. Good, the cut was just healing.

David whined a bit more but didn’t make any real fuss. He sat still and let Daniel clean the cut and redress it. He was given some water and pain pills. After taking them, he laid back down and curled up under the blanket.

Daniel stroked his hair slowly, soothingly. “Just rest, baby.” His voice was gentle and affectionate. “I’ll wake you up when we find breakfast, okay? I love you.”

“Love you.” David muttered.

Max fixed his seat as Daniel got behind the wheel. They left the rocky area and got back onto a main road. Trees passed by, the sun peaking through their branches. The radio was still out of range, so Daniel let David’s odd little CD play. It had some nice tunes anyway.

Max was staring out the window silently, watching the forest buzz by. He spotted a few deer darting away from the road as they drove. This was probably the earliest anyone had ever passed through this road.

Despite the serenity, anxiety ate at him. Guilt. Fear. Finally, he took a deep breath and spoke lowly. “You blame me, don’t you? I know this was all my fault.”

Daniel’s eyes left the road, turning instead to examine his son. “Max…” He reached over and put a hand on the boy’s head, returning his eyes to the road. “It wasn’t your fault, and I _never_ blamed you, never.” He sighed softly, “I’m sorry I was so cold yesterday… The truth is, I was blaming myself too, and I guess I didn’t really know how to handle it. David and I talked a while last night. The thing is… shit happens, Max. Time marches on and on and there’s no stopping it, or whatever events come with. Sometimes, things aren’t anyone’s fault. Sometimes, things just happen. Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do to stop them, whether you know they’re going to happen or not. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s Louis’. He made the choice, he took the action, and he paid the consequences. It wasn’t your fault and it wasn’t mine, and David doesn’t blame either of us. I don’t blame you. You’re a great kid. A damn smart one too. I'm so proud of you.” He ruffled his hair, then put his hand back on the wheel.

Max smiled slightly and settled more comfortably in his seat. “Thanks, dad.”

“You’re welcome, kiddo. I… care about you.”

“I care about you too. Even if you are crazy.”

Daniel laughed softly. “Thanks…” There was a lull in the conversation, but he was eager to keep it up. “So- What game were you playing this morning? I liked the music…”

“Oh, uh…” Max shrugged, “It’s called Animal Crossing.”

There was a pause in which Daniel waited for Max to elaborate, but when he didn’t, Daniel continued. “What’s it about?”

“Uh…” Max blinked a few times, giving him an odd look. “You’re a mayor of a village and you take care of some villagers. You’re a human and they’re animals. There’s a lot to it. I won’t bore you with all that.”

Daniel’s brows furrowed. “Why not? I’d like to know about it, or about what you like… I mean, if you want to share. I won’t make you. I was just curious. It sounds fun.”

Max’s expression changed from guarded to surprised to relaxed and content. Daniel reminded him of a parent on one of those sitcoms, awkwardly trying to get their kid to talk about their interests. The difference, of course, was that those encounters were always painted as kind of fake and awkward -the parents usually had ulterior motives and the kid didn’t care to share- whereas this felt more… genuine. Sure, it was still a little awkward, but Max didn’t really care about that. His biological parents had never asked about his interests. At least Daniel was sincerely trying.

Max flipped on his DS and launched the game. “Okay, so check this out. You can customize your character and house with stuff you can buy…”

### 

David awoke when the sound and gentle motion of the car was no longer keeping him asleep. He carefully rubbed his eye, then sat up.

“Yeah, I like that. Can we afford it?”

“Yeah, totally. I’m pretty good with money in this game.”

Daniel and Max were in the front, leaning close together. Max had his DS and Daniel was watching him. They were parked in front of an IHOP.

David yawned and stretched. “What’s going on?”

They both turned to him. Daniel smiled broadly. “Max is showing me his game! Look, you can make a person and design their house, then take care of animal villagers! He’s got a house for himself, one for you, and now we’re working on mine!”

David smiled warmly and scooted closer. He kissed Max’s hair, then Daniel’s cheek, then rested his cheek on his shoulder. Max showed him the screen and explained the game, all the while Daniel happily inserting his own thoughts and opinions and interests and observations about the game. It was as if he were the kid and Max was the adult.

This was it, David realized. From this very moment forward, they were a family. A _real_ family. 

_His_ family.

In that moment, he couldn’t have been happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End??? Hahaha of course not. Buckle up, kiddies, you're looking at at least 5 more chapters, MINIMUM. Lord help us


	14. Natural Born Swimmer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'm Gonna Win" by Rob Cantor is such a fucking Daniel song, just fyi.
> 
> Like always, thank you for the lovely comments and the amazing fanart! I love you guys! This chapter is mostly some little segments of their journey. Next chapter will be more in-depth.
> 
> Reminder: If you wanna chat about this fic or send me fanart or just whatever, you can check out aasfandoms on tumblr. My main blog is AestheticAcoustic, but I prefer using aasfandoms for, obviously, fandom things! I'm always game to answer questions or respond to ideas/comments/etc. I hope to hear from you <3

As soon as Max stuck a blueberry in his mouth, he grimaced. Yuck! He quickly chewed and swallowed and pushed the rest of the blueberries off his pancakes. “I don’t like these.”

David slid his plate over and moved the blueberries over to it. “Would you like my strawberries instead?”

“Yeah.”

With a smile, David moved his strawberries to Max’s plate, then ruffled his hair. “There ya go.”

“Thanks.” Max cut into his pancake and stabbed a bite, along with a strawberry, and shoved it in his mouth.

David cut his eggs into little pieces and mopped the goo up with toast. It was a little difficult to do tasks with just one eye and virtually no depth perception. “So, camping season is over. Where to next?”

Daniel didn’t look up from the baked potato he was carefully preparing. “Well, I was hoping we could make our way across the country, see a few sites and whatnot, and stay in the compound for a while… It’s safe there, and we’d be well taken care of.” He smiled softly at David, “We could have a beautiful wedding, and there’s even a school for Max and other children he could play with… You’re going to love it.”

David smiled brightly, his eyes sparkling, “Really? That sounds wonderful!”

Max grimaced. “Who the Hell says I wanna play with other kids, or go to school?”

“Well, you need to go to school.” Daniel pointed at him with his fork. “And it would be good for you to interact with other people, including kids your age. You'll like it too, I promise.”

“Tch,” Max scoffed, “That's one promise you won't keep, _I_ promise.” 

David ruffled Max's hair, “Aw, I'm sure you'll find something there you like! It'll be a nice break from the road.” He looked at Daniel. “Is there any way we could take a detour first though? We're not too far from New York. Just a day or two of driving… I've always wanted to see Coney Island, and the ocean… Can we, please?”

Daniel melted. He reached across the table and took David's hands. “Of course. That sounds like a wonderful idea.”

David smiled like the sun, and Daniel was helpless.

### 

The summer was over and it would be getting chilly soon. Max was down a hoodie, so it only made sense to get him a new one. They made a stop at a little store that sold some nice-looking clothes. Inside was a good selection, and it smelled clean and fresh.

They found a rack of hoodies in different colors and styles. David gasped and snatched one that was a deep, vibrant green. “Look at this one! It's perfect, right Max?”

Daniel grabbed one that was a pale, cerulean blue. “This one is closer to his old one, plus it's a very nice color.”

“The green one won't show as many stains.”

“The blue one goes well with his skintone.”

Max sighed dramatically, “Oh my God, just get them both. Goddamn.” 

“Oh-”

“Great idea, Max!” David snatched the one Daniel was holding and dropped them both in a cart. “We should get you some fall clothes too, and Daniel and I need some as well-”

“Cool. You guys look for yours and I'll look for mine. See ya.” Max walked away without waiting for an answer.

“Okay!” David called, “Don't talk to any strangers!”

Daniel opened his mouth to point out the irony in that statement, but then David smiled at him and he forgot what he was going say. 

When they eventually met back at the front, Max had some shirts and two pairs of pants, plus a large sewing kit and extra supplies.

“What's this for?” David asked as he put everything on the counter.

“I dunno, dad, what's it _normally_ for?”

David smiled affectionately, “Aaww, I didn't know you could sew!”

Max shrugged. “Well, I never really got new clothes, so I had to do something about them getting worn out or too small.”

David's smile fell. “I'm so sorry, Max…”

“Just shut up and buy my shit.”

Daniel paid as David loaded everything back into the cart. They got it into the car, returned the cart, then headed out onto the open road.

### 

The trees finally ended and miles and miles of buildings and cars and people took their place. They zipped along the highway, keeping pace with traffic while David and Max played I-spy. Playing in the city was much more fun than playing in the forest. There were only so many unique structures in miles of trees.

“I've heard there's a very nice planetarium in this state,” Daniel commented. “Do we want to go see-”

“Yes!” David cheered and bounced in his seat.

Daniel chuckled and patted his leg. “Alright, alright. It'll be a few hours. We can grab dinner after, then maybe a hotel. We don't need to hurry anymore. We can take our time. Might as well get a hotel early and rest.”

“Sounds great to me!” David beamed. He looked over his shoulder, “Sound good, Max?”

“Do I get my own room?” The boy quirked a brow expectantly.

David looked at Daniel.

Daniel grinned and looked at Max through the rearview mirror. “Yep. Maybe we can find a hotel with those connected rooms. That would be neat.”

“Sweet. Sounds good to me.”

### 

The hotel was a step up from some of the others they'd stayed in. The rooms were quite nice and the beds very comfortable. They were able to find two rooms that shared a door to connect them. Max took the right and they took the left. The rooms overlooked a creek in back. David was delighted to be able to sit on a wide window ledge and look out at it.

“We’ll leave it unlocked for the night, but we all agree that we'll knock and gain permission before crossing over.” Daniel said to Max. They were each standing in their respective rooms, the door open between them.

“Yeah, that sounds fine.” Max agreed.

“Unless it's an emergency, of course. If someone is trying to get into your room, come over immediately.”

“Yeah yeah, I figured that.”

“Or I guess if you get scared too, or need help-”

“I'm closing the door now.” Max stated. He didn't wait for a reply as he shut the door between them.

David chuckled. “You're such a good dad.”

Daniel grinned and walked over to him. “Well, I suppose you're rubbing off on me.”

David giggled. He stood and stepped into Daniel's embrace. His hands caressed his lover's firm chest. His face tinted slightly pink. “Speaking of… rubbing off…” He leaned in and brushed a light kiss against Daniel's lips. “Maybe now we can… get back to our old routine…” His hands slid lower and tugged on the hem of Daniel's pants.

Daniel gave him a sympathetic look and kissed him gently. “Davy… You know I hate saying no to you.”

“Then don't.” David bit lightly on Daniel's bottom lip.

Daniel leaned away and put his hands on David's shoulders. “David. You were hurting this morning. I don't want to make anything worse. I love you. I'll take you very gently if you like, but I'm not going to _fuck_ you. Understand?”

David puffed out his bottom lip. That was almost enough to make Daniel change his mind, but he stood his ground. “Dannyyyy. Pleeeaase?” David whined and tugged on Daniel's pants.

“No.” Daniel stated firmly. “I want you to _rest_. You took a knife to the _face_ , David. I want you to shower, watch TV in bed for a while, then get plenty of sleep. Okay?”

David pouted, but nodded. “Okay. Sorry. I love you.”

“I love you too. More than you'll ever know.” Daniel kissed his forehead. “Come on. The shower looked pretty big so let's get in together and I'll help you wash that cut.”

David perked up. “Okay!” He grabbed Daniel's hand and practically dragged him into the bathroom. 

Daniel worried that David might try to get frisky in the shower, but apparently being wet and naked together under warm water turned him into a kid. He was giggling and flicking soap and water at Daniel, and was far more interested in excitedly talking about Coney Island than any sort of touching. Daniel had to grab him and hold him still while he gently washed the cut. It was healing very nicely. That was a huge relief.

When they climbed out and began drying, David grew a tad more physical. His arms slipped around Daniel's waist and hugged tightly. He pressed his face into Daniel's neck and sighed in contentment. 

With a gentle smile, Daniel embraced him, draping the towel around him as well. 

Everything was warm and soft. David rocked them gently, humming a soft tune under his breath.

Eventually, they put underwear on and curled up together in bed. Daniel watched television for a while, but David was out in a matter of minutes. He slept soundly with his head on Daniel's chest.

Shortly after ten, Daniel turned off the TV and hugged David close. “I love you,” He whispered to his soulmate's sleeping form, “More than every single star that exists in the universe. More than my life. More than _anything_.” He kissed his head and settled in to sleep.

### 

In the morning, Daniel found Max curled up behind him. When he'd gotten there he couldn't say, but the blonde didn't mind it. Carefully, he slipped out from between the two sleeping forms. As silently as possible, he got himself ready for the long day ahead.

Max woke up next. He did not give any reason for his presence, simply said 'good morning’ to Daniel and went back to his room. Daniel didn't question it.

An hour later, David was roused by the sound of the television. There was breakfast waiting for him on the nightstand, and Daniel was sitting up beside him, watching TV.

“Morning.” David yawned. He stretched before sitting up and grabbing the box of food.

“Morning.” Daniel leaned over and kissed his cheek. “How're you feeling?”

“Great!” David smiled. “My face doesn't hurt. Kinda itches though.”

“I figure we can put some cream on it and it'll be fine. I don't see any reason to use a bandage.”

David nodded in agreement and took a big bite of scrambled eggs. Delicious.

### 

There was a chilly breeze blowing over the hot sand. People passed by in a flurry, a majority of them baring more skin than David had ever seen in his life. The wind ruffled his hair. He stood completely still. His eyes were fixed on the distance, and his jaw was slack.

The waves gently sloshed at the shore, pushing and pulling tiny grains of sand with them. They licked at David’s bare feet. The water was cold, but the sand was hot. The air smelled of salt and wind and the sea.

It was so vast, so endless, so blue. He was in awe of it, humbled by it. What an amazing thing, the ocean…

He snapped out of his slight daze when Daniel put a hand on his bare back. “You okay, love?” The blonde smiled softly at him.

“Yeah. It’s just so amazing!” David beamed, “I never thought it would feel like this to just stand here and _see_ it!”

“Sea it.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing. Why don’t we go for a swim, hm?” Daniel gestured toward the deep blue waters of Virginia Beach.

They were both in swim trunks, semi-matching. David’s had solid stripes of bright rainbow, while Daniel’s were soft, fading stripes of pastel rainbow. They had been Daniel’s idea to get. David was pretty sure it was so everyone would know they were together and suspect them to be a couple. Daniel’s more possessive side manifested itself in strange ways.

David smiled brightly, “Heck yeah! Max-” He turned around and found his son sitting in the sand, pulling wet sand up and mixing it with dry and making some sort of large lump. “Let’s go swimming!”

“Don’t know how.” Max stated as he slapped a handful of wet sand onto his lump. Building sand castles wasn’t as easy as it looked on TV.

“You don’t…?” David’s smile fell. He knelt beside the boy. “Well, now is the best time to learn.”

“Nah. Swimming is stupid anyway.”

“How would you know if you’ve never swam?”

“Shut the Hell up.”

“Language. Come on, Daniel and I can teach you! It’s fun once you learn!”

Max huffed. “You’re not gonna stop hounding me about it unless I try, so what-the-fuck-ever.” He lifted his arms, indicating that he expected David to lift him.

“Aw, it’ll be okay!” David scooped him up and walked with Daniel out into the ocean. The water was cold but it was a nice relief from the hot sun. They were careful of other swimmers as they walked deeper.

The higher the water rose, the harder Max hugged David. When it hit his feet, he jerked them up and away. “It’s cold!”

David chuckled. “Of course it’s cold! It’s the ocean! Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it quick.”

Max growled in annoyance.

They continued out until it was up to their chests. Max had a deep grimace on his face and his legs were tucked tight against his chest.

“Relax, you’re safe!” David reassured. 

“I changed my mind!” Max snapped. “It’s cold and water is stupid anyway! Just take me back to shore so I can finish my sand castle!”

“We’re already all the way out here, Max. You might as well learn-”

“I don’t want to learn! Take me back to shore!!” There was fear in his voice.

“Oh…” David’s heart sank when he realized the problem. “It’s okay, Max, it’s okay. It’s okay to be scared. New things are always scary! But we grow when we face those fears, and we come out on the other side stronger and maybe with a new skill or a new favorite something or other. I won’t make you learn if you don’t want to. We can try again later, when you’re ready. I shouldn’t have pushed to get you out here. That wasn’t very kind of me. I’m sorry. Would you like to stay on the shore today?”

Max had relaxed a little and wasn’t gripping David’s arm quite so tightly. “... Are you sure it’s safe?”

“Absolutely. Daniel and I are right here. We won’t let anything happen to you. You won’t even leave my grasp until you’re sure you’re ready to. I would never do that to you.”

“...Okay. I guess I’ll try.”

“Really? I’m so proud of you!” David hugged him tightly, then gently held him out just a very short distance from him. “I’m just going to let you down a little. I won’t let go, I swear.”

Max gripped David’s arms again and whimpered softly. He was lowered into the water only up to his chest. David’s hold on him was still firm, showing no signs of just letting him go to fend for himself.

Daniel was soon right behind him. His hands gently took hold of Max right below David’s. “You can’t fool me, you sly devil.” His tone was a playful sort of serious. “I know this is just a ruse. You’re a world-class swimmer, aren’t you? You’ve got poor Davy here fooled, but I know you’re just waiting to swim out of his grasp and right to shore to your escape. I won’t let that happen.” He winked at Max.

Max laughed softly, feeling more relaxed now that Daniel was with him too. They wouldn’t let him drown. He was safe.

David’s tone was patient and kind. He instructed Max on how to move his legs to keep his head above water, and when Max was able to get the movement down he showered him with praise. When Max was ready, they let him go a little deeper, up to his shoulders. David instructed him on how to move his arms next, and Daniel briefly let go to show him the movement and how to do a few different strokes. Max practiced in David’s grip. He was amazed at how the water felt as it shifted around him.

Okay, maybe this wasn’t lame.

“Alright, kick your feet,” David instructed, “You don’t have to do it very hard, just enough to keep you above water. You will naturally float some, but moving your legs will keep you upright, since our bodies would really rather float horizontally!” 

Max nodded. He moved his legs and kept his arms out.

Daniel was right behind him again, his hands not on Max but close enough to grab him within a split second.

“Feel okay?” David asked.

Max nodded.

“How do you feel about me relaxing my grip? I won’t let you go, I’m just letting you hold more of your own weight.”

“Okay. Don’t let go.”

“I won’t, promise.” David barely loosened his grip. It was just enough to let the water slip over Max’s shoulders and lap at his chin.

There was a sharp intake of breath. Max’s first instinct was to grab David’s arms, but he resisted. He wanted to do this, damnit! He wanted… he wanted to make them proud. He moved his arms and legs and kept his breathing even. Okay, okay… this wasn’t so hard! “Let go.”

“Are you sure?” David quirked a brow.

“Yeah.”

“Okay. I’m gonna let go, but my hands are going to be right beside you. If the water goes over your mouth, we’ll grab you. We won’t let anything happen, I promise.” 

Max nodded. Slowly, David’s hands left him. He felt the water come higher and it was terrifying, but he kept his composure. He could do this! He kicked his feet a little harder, kept his arms moving carefully, and paid attention to his breathing.

Yes! He was doing it!

“Good job!” Daniel praised, “You’re a natural!”

“Back up,” Max said to David, “I want to swim to you.”

“Uh, okay…” David hesitated. “Danny-”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be right behind him.” Daniel reassured.

David backed up a few feet, keeping his arms outstretched. With a determined look on his face, Max began working his way toward him.

Alright, it was a little harder to move than it was to just float, but he was getting there! Slowly… slowly… … ugh so slowly….

David was smiling, his eyes bright. “Wow, look at you go! You’re going to be an _amazing_ swimmer! I’m so _proud_ of you!!”

The joy, the elation, it was almost too much. Max was smiling too and he was able to pick up his pace a little. David continued slowly backing up, leading Max in wide circles, never more than an arm length away. Daniel stayed right behind the boy, far enough to not be kicked but close enough to grab him if his head went under.

They did their circles until Max was swimming smoothly, his pace pretty even and admirable for a first-timer. David finally scooped him up and hugged him tightly. “Gosh, I’m just so proud of you, Max! You faced your fear and now you can swim!”

Daniel stepped over to them and ruffled Max’s hair affectionately. “Told you. World-class swimmer. You didn’t have me fooled for a second…. I’m proud of you, Max.”

Max couldn’t help a big smile. He let David hug him tightly and fawn over him for a while, and didn’t reject Daniel’s nuzzles or hair stroking. This much affection was foreign, and though he wanted to hate it at first and tell himself he didn’t need it, he decided he did like it and, Hell, if they were just going to smother him with it anyway, then fuck it he’d take every bit.

It felt good to be cared about.

### 

The waves washed rhythmically over their waists, the ebb and flow of the water gently brushing their legs. Their hands were buried in the sand behind them, propping them up, the fingers of the two closest together twined.

David and Daniel sat in silence, contentedly watching Max splash around with other kids several feet out. The water wasn't too deep there. Deep enough to allow them to swim, but shallow enough that they could stand. Max seemed to be enjoying himself, even though he'd at first protested playing with the kids.

Daniel let out a soft sigh and squeezed David's hand. “I never really felt one way or the other about the ocean, but I think I actually love it.”

David smiled and leaned against him. “I kind of wish we could just stay in this exact moment forever.”

“Me too.” Daniel gently laid his head on David's shoulder. “You, me, and Max, forever and always.”

David let his head rest against Daniel's, and loved the way his hair brushed his cheek. “Forever and always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow, did Daniel actually manage to say no to nailing David? Incredible. What character development. 
> 
> I hope ya'll really like fathers/son bonding stuff cuz uuuhhh there's gonna be a lot of it for the next couple of chapters. I'm always a slut for domestic shit.


	15. Barred

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter is like, only porn. And fluff. But that's pretty much it. Have fun!

The beach was dim and nearly empty by the time they left. Max was laying in the backseat, wrapped up in his blanket, fast asleep. A long day of swimming had completely wiped him out.

David relaxed in the passenger seat, watching the beach pass by as they drove. Their hotel wasn't too far, and boy was it nice. Big beds and huge tubs and fancy TVs and alcohol in the fridge. The beds even had fancy footboards! The rooms were so nice.

When they arrived, David carried Max up and Daniel took care of the luggage. The elevator was cool and there was a gentle toon playing. 

It dinged when they arrived on the fourth floor. They headed a short distance down the hall to their room and Daniel let them in. They dropped off their stuff, then took Max to his room right across the hall. He was still out, so David just unwrapped him from the towel and tucked him into bed. 

They headed back into their room together. They gathered clean clothes, then slipped into the bathroom. It was spacious, so they weren’t forced to crowd together while waiting for the tub to fill with water.

“Do you think we can make it into New York tomorrow?” David asked as he leaned on the counter.

Daniel was sitting on the rim of the tub, carefully keeping tabs on the water temperature. “I think so. If we leave early and don’t make too many stops we could make it there by that evening. Get a hotel, turn in early, and spend the entire next day doing whatever you like.”

“Coney Island!” David said excitedly.

A warm smile graced Daniel’s lips and a soft chuckle rumbled his throat. “Sounds like a fantastic day.”

“Every day is a fantastic day with you…” David’s smiled shyly, his face tinting slightly pink behind his freckles.

Daniel melted. He held his hand out to David, who happily stepped over. They clasped hands and David leaned down, placing a kiss on his husband’s lips.

They took off their swim trunks and climbed into the tub. It took all of five seconds for David to notice the tiny bottle of bubble bath and the fact that the tub had jets. There was nothing Daniel could do to stop him, even if he’d wanted to.

The tub filled, the jets were turned on, the bubbling liquid was added.

In minutes, there were bubbles piled higher than their heads. Both men laughed at the absurdity of not being able to see each other right across the tub. David stood and stepped into the middle of them. “Quick, help me put them on!”

Daniel wasn’t sure what he was wanting, but he stood and dragged bubbles up with him. 

David covered his torso in the white foam and carefully formed lopsided breasts. When he was done, it looked like he was wearing a white dress with a big, poofy bottom. “Am I a pretty bride??” He giggled and tried to make a seductive face, but it was tight-lipped so he wouldn’t laugh.

Daniel, however, was certainly laughing. “Just the prettiest, my love!”

“Come on, let’s make you one too!”

Giggling, they worked the bubbles around and up Daniel’s torso, giving him a very similar dress. He decided he wanted a top hat too and they tried for one, but he had to hold it up to keep it from slouching over and falling off. They could see themselves in the mirror across the room and were snickering at their reflections.

“We make very pretty brides.” Daniel commented, “Though, I think I’d rather have a dress that covered my shoulders.”

“I want a halter top!” David joked, “Can we get married in dresses?”

“Hnhn. Sure, if that’s really what you want, darling.”

David chuckled, “I’ll have to think about that one.” 

Daniel let his top hat drop and gently cupped David’s face. He squeezed a little, making David’s lips pucker. The redhead giggled and barely attempted to free himself. “Quit it!”

“But you’re so cute, Davy.”

“Stop making me make faces, you big jerk!” David grabbed Daniel’s hands, but didn’t pull them off. He held them close and nuzzled them.

Again, Daniel melted. He caressed David’s cheeks with his thumbs. “You’re so beautiful, David…” His smile fell when he traced the scar across one cheek. 

“Danny?” David’s smile was gone too. He pouted just slightly, “Don’t get upset… It’s okay. We’re okay. I’m okay. I love you.”

Daniel sighed softly, letting his head tilt a few degrees. “You’re breath-taking, David, and the scar doesn’t change that at all. I just… I don’t have the words to express… how much I _love_ you, David, or how much you _mean_ to me… I’ve never been at a loss for words before… You just… leave me speechless. I _love_ you.” He didn’t give David any time to respond. He pulled him in for a deep kiss, one that he hoped would convey what words couldn’t. 

They held one another tightly, as if any moment someone might try to rip them apart. Their chests pressed flush together thumped with matching heartbeats. They were _meant_ to be together, they were _meant_ to be one.

Eventually, they settled back down into the tub. At least half of the bubbles had disappeared, so they were more manageable. Daniel leaned against the wall of the tub and David settled into his lap. Daniel held him close. David nuzzled and kissed Daniel’s face affectionately.

“Should’ve bought candles.” Daniel noted softly.

“Next time.” David whispered. “In our New York hotel. Candles and flowers and music and we’ll make love all night.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“Mhm.” David hummed and kissed Daniel deeply. He spoke against his lips, his voice a whisper. “But, maybe tonight, we could…” A hand that had been pressed against Daniel’s chest slid down. Fingers lightly traced the flesh of a flaccid member.

Daniel let out a very soft groan. “You want it hard, don’t you, sweetheart?” His tone was pitying.

“Mmmm, I dooo.” David whined. “I don’t wanna walk tomorrooowww.” 

“Oh, you poor, pitiful little thing.” Daniel purred. He nipped David's ear playfully.

David let out a little whine and puffed his lips out in a pout. He ran his thumb across the slit and felt Daniel twitch and slowly begin to harden. David grinned. “We’re dad's now.”

Daniel quirked a brow, his gaze still even despite how David was touching him. “Yes, we are. Is now the time to talk about that?”

David chuckled and his cute little grin grew devious. “Fuck me, _daddy_.” 

Daniel went red and his cock was rigid in an instant. There was a look of shock and realization on his face.

David laughed and stroked him. “Looks like someone has a kink he didn't know about!”

“Sh-shut up.” Daniel quickly pushed him away. “We haven't even washed off yet. We're still dirty from the ocean.”

David went back to pouting. “Dannyyyy don't tease me like this!”

“ _You're_ the one being a little _tease_.”

David made a little pouting noise but there wasn't a damn thing he could do. Thankfully, his pout was short-lived. Daniel’s hands were on him soon enough, gently running a rag over his skin. David giggled and let Daniel wash him. It was slow and sensual, making him purr in delight. Their lips met, passionate but leisurely. 

Soon, David was the one running the rag across Daniel’s body. Admittedly, it wasn’t especially easy to do since Daniel had him pinned against the wall, his teeth biting into his neck repeatedly. Daniel grabbed the rag from him and tossed it away. He bit down harder and pressed closer, clearly indicating that he was done with this and wanted to fuck. 

As David reached over to grab the tiny bottle of shampoo, he realized that Daniel was right. He was the tease in this relationship. With a mean grin, he poured a glob of it in Daniel’s hair.

Daniel stopped and straightened, giving David an unamused look.

David was grinning. “We haven’t washed our hair yet, remember?”

“Fucking _tease_.” Daniel muttered.

David merely giggled and scooped water in his hands. He poured it on Daniel’s head, then began lathering the shampoo. He could tell Daniel was trying not to grin or snicker.

They washed each other’s hair while exchanging sweet kisses. After rinsing, David shook his hair out and smiled sweetly at Daniel.

Daniel smirked back.

In a split second, David was slammed against the wall, a hand squeezing his throat tightly. He wanted to moan, but couldn’t.

“I’m going to _fuck_ you until you _scream_.” Daniel snarled.

David quivered. _‘Yes please!’_ Again, he was reminded how strong Daniel was as the other man stood and easily lifted him up by his throat. He put David on his feet, then released him. David’s legs were trembling from desire.

“Dry off.” Daniel commanded.

“Yes, sir.” David quickly got out of the tub and grabbed a towel. Daniel pulled the drain before stepping out as well. They dried quickly. David couldn’t stop smiling.

Daniel dropped his towel and shoved David against the door. “Out. Back out.”

“Yes, sir.” David scrambled to get the door open, then walked backward out. Daniel stalked forward, forcing David backward at a quicker pace. His legs hit the bed and he flailed for only a moment before Daniel grabbed his arm to steady him. 

“On your knees.”

David fell to the ground in an instant, his mouth already open. He grabbed Daniel’s cock and was only just pressing his tongue against the head when his hair was grabbed, forcing him still. He whined and tried to pull Daniel closer, but the man didn’t budge.

“Did I give you permission?” Daniel growled.

David whined and stroked him. “Please, sir, I-”

“Ah-ah! Try again.”

A whimper. “Master?”

“Wrong.” Daniel pushed him a little further away, so that his tongue could no longer brush the tip.

Another loud whine. “Danny??”

“Closer.”

“Daddy!”

“ _There’s_ a good boy. Tell daddy what you want.”

“Please shove your dick down my throat, daddy! Please fuck my face!” David pleaded.

Daniel smirked. “Good boy.” He pulled him close and pressed his cock against his cute face.

David moaned softly and gripped the massive organ in both hands. He ran his tongue from base to tip slowly, enjoying the heat and firmness. He pressed his tongue against the underside of the head and stroked the shaft. When he finally tasted precum, he moaned. The head slipped easily into his mouth and he wrapped his lips around it. He kept both hands wrapped around the base, slowly stroking it.

Daniel pulled him in and pushed his hips forward slowly. His length slid down David’s throat, making the redhead grunt as he tried to relax. David’s hands pressed against Daniel’s thighs, his nails digging in as he tried to pull him deeper.

“Easy now,” Daniel stroked his hair, “I know you’re a hungry little slut, but don’t hurt yourself.”

David moaned around the intrusion. One hand went to his throat, where he could feel the lump. He rubbed and squeezed, enjoying the sensation.

Daniel groaned softly. “Goddamn…” He knew David had no idea how unbelievably sexy he was, and that was a tragedy. Gripping the man’s hair more firmly, Daniel slowly began thrusting. He felt every moan and gag, and his legs quivered every time David purposefully swallowed hard. His thrusts quickened. “Look at me.”

David’s beautiful eyes flicked upward. They were half-lidded and dark with lust. It was obvious from his expression that he was loving every second of this treatment.

A quivering breath left Daniel’s lips. He stopped and gently pulled out.

David coughed a few times between heavy pants. He grabbed Daniel’s dick again and stroked it with both hands. He kissed the tip, then ran his tongue hard across it, making Daniel’s legs twitch.

“Enough.” Daniel pulled him off. “Get up.”

David released him and stood. He wasn’t on his feet a second before he was roughy shoved onto the bed. With a mewl, he scooted back a few inches and spread his legs.

“Don't move.” Daniel commanded. He stepped over to their luggage and dug out a bottle of lube. He tossed it on the bed, then crawled on. His hands stroked David's inner thighs slowly, teasingly. He lifted his legs so he could caress the soft, pale skin just beneath David's beautiful ass. It was smooth against his fingers and easy to massage.

David squirmed beneath him. “Danny-”

“Ah- wrong.” Daniel slapped the underside of his ass, making him yelp and jolt. The pale flesh turned pink.

“ _Daddy_!” David gasped. The slap sent a thrill through him, making his cock twitch.

“Good boy.” Daniel rubbed the spot to soothe it, then gripped David's legs. He lifted and tossed them sideways, successfully turning David so that he was lying vertically, his feet toward the pillows and his head inches from the footboard. 

Daniel again positioned himself between David's legs. He gripped the insides of his thighs and dug his fingers in.

David arched and moaned. “Daddy…! Please fuck me!”

Daniel grabbed his legs and easily flipped him over. He slapped his ass again and squeezed both cheeks, parting them. His cock came to rest between them, teasingly rubbing against the hole.

David whined and lifted his ass. He bucked against Daniel, but it did not help his situation. The massive organ was hot against him and he longed for it to be inside. He gripped the sheets and let out a needy moan.

“You want it hard, baby?” Daniel ran his hands up David’s back, massaging it. “Tell daddy how bad you need him to pound your tight little hole.”

David moaned at the words and felt his dick throb in response to them. “I want daddy to fuck me ‘til I can’t walk! Pin me down and nail me ‘til I beg for it to stop! Leave my ass and thighs bruised!”

“Holy shit…” Daniel breathed, “You’re getting really good at this…”

“That’s how _bad_ I want it. Shove your _dick_ in me.” David’s tone was more commanding than begging, but Daniel was turned on by that too. 

The lube was snatched off the bed and Daniel poured a large glob in his palm. The bottle fell back to the bed. Daniel spread the cold gel with one hand, the other squeezed one of David’s ass cheeks, his thumb rubbing his hole teasingly. It slipped inside, making the man gasp.

“Don’t prep me!” David begged, “Just fuck me!”

Daniel hesitated. “Love, that might hurt-”

“I don’t care!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!” David wiggled his ass, “Just hurt me daddy… I need it _hard_ …!”

Daniel couldn't argue with that. His thumb slipped out and he slapped David's ass one more time. He gripped his hips, lifted them, then shoved him forward.

David gasped when his shoulders hit the bars of the footboard. His head had slipped easily through the space between them, but it was not enough space for the rest of him. Cold iron dug into his shoulders. His hands gripped the bars tightly.

Then, Daniel was inside him. It was sudden and hard and it _hurt_. The air was knocked out of his lungs from the sheer force of the thrust. The bars against his shoulders kept him from moving forward, preventing any jostling that would have given the thrusts some buffer. Instead, there was one hand on his neck and another gripping the bar above his head, leaving him firmly locked in place. 

It didn’t start slow. The pounding was instant, merciless. “ _FUCKFUCK **FUCK**_!!” David screamed. His back tried to arch but Daniel had him pinned down and completely trapped. All he could do was scream and moan and praise. Daniel knew exactly where the spot was and he hit it every time. “YESYESYES FUCK _YESPLEASEDADDYOHMY **GOD**_!!” 

The first orgasm was so hard it ached. He sobbed and quivered and his noises turned from desperate to pathetic. The thrusts didn’t waver. The first orgasm was barely over before he was hit with another, then another, and another, until they just blended into one continuous vortex of ecstasy. Was the prostate a blessing or a curse?

“I can’t… stop… cumming…” David managed to whimper through the haze of mind-numbing pleasure.

“ _Good_ ,” Daniel snarled, “You asked for this, you fucking _whore_.”

“Fu-uck yes I did…!” He couldn’t feel his legs and his back hurt and his hands were throbbing in pain from gripping the bars so tightly and he _loved it._

It felt like a century before it ended. Daniel’s thrusts became less precise, more erratic. His hand tightened on David’s neck. David gasped and groaned as he felt Daniel’s cold seed fill him. God, he loved the sensation. It filled him and spilled out, leaking down his legs onto the bed. Daniel groaned his name and his thrusts slowed to a gentle rock, drawing out the orgasm as long as possible.

Finally, they both let out relieved sighs as their bodies relaxed. Daniel rubbed David’s back for just a few seconds before he pulled out. After a fuck like that, he knew David really needed to lay down pretty much immediately. 

“C’mere, baby.” Daniel spoke softly as he gently pulled David out from the bars.

David groaned and whimpered. “Ow… ow…”

The blonde felt his heart break, “I’m so sorry, David, I didn’t mean to-”

“No, no, it’s just my hands and legs aching.” David let out a soft laugh. “You were _amazing_. Like, _wow_ …”

Daniel chuckled softly and helped David sit up, then lay down with his head resting comfortably on a pillow. The sheets were very messy, and so was poor Davy, but that would have to wait a moment. “I’ll clean up, but I need to sit a minute.” Daniel sighed and made himself comfortable next to David. “My knees are killing me.”

“Poor baby…” David cooed and weakly reached over to caress Daniel’s face. “Poor _daddy_.”

Daniel kissed the palm of his hand. “Careful now. You aren’t in any kind of shape to go again.”

David giggled and let his arm rest on the bed. “I’ll keep ‘daddy’ confined to the bedroom.”

“Good.” He leaned over and peppered gentle kisses all over David’s freckles, making the redhead giggle and caress his chest. “I love you.” Daniel said softly between kisses. “I love you more than all these adorable freckles on your gorgeous face.”

“Danny!” David caught his face and kissed him. “I love you too, more than all the trees in all the forests in the world. I can’t wait to marry you…”

“Me either, my love.” Daniel kissed him one more time, then tore himself away. He cleaned up himself and the bed and David, then got them both a pair of underwear to sleep in. He helped David beneath the covers, then turned off the main light and joined him.

The soreness in his back prevented David from moving much, so Daniel opted to hug him close and rest his head on his chest. There were even more freckles there, which he proceeded to kiss.

“Stop!” David chuckled, “You know I’m ticklish!”

Daniel tossed a leg over David’s and grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together. “Too bad.” Daniel grinned, “Because you can’t escape. You’re too weak and sore to get away from me.”

“You’re mean!”

“Yes, and?” Daniel placed several more kisses, making his lover laugh and squirm. 

They finally settled down and David lifted an arm to gently caress Daniel’s hair. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

He kissed Daniel’s forehead and sighed contentedly. 

It was warm under the sheets together. Safe. Comfortable. Loving. Both men were completely at ease, tucked in each other’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how I said a minimum of 5 more chapters? Yeah I don't even know how many chapters are left. So many. Fuck. Fuck me.


	16. New York New Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay another update this weekend! Thank you for the comments, they really motivate me! 
> 
> Remember, you can always chat with me on tumblr (aasfandoms)! I might just give you little teasers from future chapters, and I'm always up to answering questions. :)

Daniel awoke shortly after sunrise. Far too early, really. Neither he nor David had moved overnight, but now there was a third guest in the bed.

Max was curled up against David's other side, his bear hugged tightly and his face partially hidden by it. David's arm was draped over him in such a way that it was obvious Max had put it there.

Daniel reached over and stroked the boy's hair gently. It was still messy from the ocean. Max would have to shower before they left. Not right now though. Not right now.

His fingers ran slowly through the thick curls, with his thumb brushing Max's forehead every stroke. Eventually, the boy's eyes opened tiredly, revealing his beautiful green irises. Max groaned softly at Daniel.

“Morning.” Daniel greeted in a whisper. “Did you have a nightmare?”

“No.” Came Max's almost inaudible reply.

“No? Just get lonely?”

“No.”

A contemplative look rested on Daniel's features. “Then what? Are you okay?”

Max didn't reply. He closed his eyes and buried his face in his bear.

Daniel was about to ask again, but David reached up and gently toyed with Max's hair. “What's wrong, Maxy?” His voice was tired.

Max squeezed the bear tighter and for a moment it seemed he wouldn't respond. Finally, he gave a muffled reply. “I don't want you to ditch me.”

“Oh, Max…” Daniel stroked his hairline.

“We would _never_ ditch you.” David reassured, squeezing him. “You're our son and we care about you. We want you with us for as long as possible.”

“Promise?” Max peaked over his bear's head.

“Promise.” Daniel smiled softly.

“Cool.” Max hid his face again so they wouldn't see his smile.

### 

They found a nice hotel beside Central Park. Daniel bought two rooms on the top floor, requesting a view of the park just for David. They took their luggage up and found their two very nice rooms. Max immediately dove onto the bed and began jumping. “THIS IS AWEEEESOOOME!”

While Daniel was chiding him about jumping on the bed -especially with _shoes on_ \- and trying to get him down, David walked over to the window and looked out. Central Park was right across the street. The trees were big and green and swaying gently in the breeze. David sighed dreamily and stared out at the beautiful landscape. They’d have to spend a day in Central Park while they were here…

“Damnit, get down!”

“NOOOO!”

David turned from the window and grinned at the antics of his family. Daniel grabbed Max mid-jump, and the boy struggled in his grasp. 

“Put me down!!”

“Not until you act like a civilized human being!”

“We aren’t civilized! We’re murderers!”

“Just because we’ve killed people doesn’t mean we are _barbarians_!!” 

“Hey,” David called to get their attention. They stopped their arguing and looked at him. He smiled softly at them. “How about we get some food delivered, and watch some Goosebumps together tonight?”

They paused a moment, then Max shrugged. “Okay.”

“Sounds wonderful.” Daniel agreed. He put Max down and ruffled his hair.

David beamed, “Fantastic.”

### 

They were up early the next morning. David and Daniel dressed in their matching swim trunks and white t-shirts. They packed an ice chest with drinks and snacks, gathered sunscreen and beach towels and a change of clothes, and picked up Max from his room. He came out wearing his teal swim trunks and a black t-shirt. 

The drive down to Coney Island took some time. Traffic in New York was far denser than either man had ever encountered before, but they weren’t stressed about it. They eventually arrived and found a place to park in a crowded little lot. The beach wasn’t terribly busy yet, being so early, but they decided to go ahead and claim a spot. 

Max dug through the ice chest and found some snacks, while David and Daniel set up an umbrella and chairs they rented from a little shack right off the boardwalk. They got one wide seat that they could lay on together, and a smaller one for Max. The umbrella was set-up right between them.

David dug sunscreen out of their bag. “Come here, Max, let’s put this one so you don’t burn.”

Max scoffed. “My people don’t _need_ that crap. Our skin was _made_ for the sun.”

“Uh huh.” David grabbed him and put him in his seat, “Well, you’re wearing it anyway. I highly doubt _you_ spend much time in the sun.” He pulled Max’s shirt off and put it aside.

Max huffed, but let David put the sunscreen on him. It wouldn’t hurt anyway.

When David was done, he turned to Daniel. “Okay, your turn.”

The blonde quirked a brow. “Oh, I think I’ll be okay. I’ll probably spend a lot of time under the umbrella. How about I put some on you though?” He wiggled his brows.

David laughed. “Are you serious? I spend _way_ more time in the sun than you! I _barely_ need sunscreen! You _definitely_ do though, honey.”

“Yeah,” Max smirked, “Better get some of that sunscreen, White Devil, or you’ll be a Red Devil by the end of the day.”

Daniel gave him an unamused look. He didn’t protest as David applied the sunscreen.

Only minutes later, Max took off toward the ocean. His parents watched him carefully from their spot. He found a couple of other children and they seemed to hit it off. Good. He needed to socialize positively with people his age. 

The couple walked down to the water shortly after, hand in hand. The water was chilly, but it was welcome on the hot day. They walked in up to their waists, then swam out further. It was nice to just spend a few leisurely moments together. 

Daniel grabbed David and pulled him over, kissing him. “I love you, babe.”

“Aw, I love you too!” David put his hands on Daniel’s shoulders.

Then shoved him under.

David swam away laughing, but he didn’t get far. His leg was grabbed and he was pulled under.

Daniel stood and shook water out of his hair. He pulled David’s foot up with him and smirked. His fingers danced across the bottom of David’s foot, and the man began thrashing. Ticklish.

His other foot connected with Daniel’s gut, making him let go and grab his stomach.

David came up and tackled Daniel, sending them both under. Not a moment later, however, David was lifted out of the water and tossed over Daniel’s head. He let out a short yell before splashing into the water.

They wrestled for several minutes, laughing and splashing and enjoying their youth. They eventually calmed, and Daniel pulled David close again. They kissed and hugged and swayed. They were happy.

A long while later, they left the ocean and headed back to their spot. Daniel settled into their recliner chair with a book. David dried a little more, put his shirt on, and kissed Daniel’s cheek. “I’m going to check out the boardwalk and the park and see what’s around. Maybe the three of us can have some fun there after lunch.”

“Sounds good to me, baby.” Daniel grabbed his chin and pulled him into a kiss. He went back to his book while David trotted up the beach.

### 

When lunchtime rolled around, they reunited, plus two. David brought some burgers from a grill on the boardwalk, and Max brought a couple of friends.

“Hey,” Max greeted, “These are my new friends, Nikki and Neil. They’re step-siblings and their parents are kinda ignoring them right now, so-”

Daniel had already sat up and put the book aside. “I’m not ready for three kids, sorry.”

“Yeaahh…” David cringed as he put their food atop the ice chest. “I, uh, have to agree with Daniel…”

“What?! Hell no!” Max was clearly offended, “I just wanted you to get them lunch! Like _Hell_ am I going to have any damn siblings! I’m an only child and it’s going to _stay_ that way!” 

Both men sighed in relief. Thank goodness. Three kids was a bit much at the moment. Maybe someday, but not today. “Sure.” David smiled, “I got a few extra things from the grill for us to try, so they’re welcome to it.”

“Sweet.” Max turned to his friends. “These are my dads. That one’s Daniel and this one is David. David is the nice one but Daniel is the smart one.”

“Hi!” The girl, Nikki, waved, “Do you have anything with a lot of _meat_ on it??”

“Uh,” David hesitated, “Well, I got some ribs-”

“ _Perfect_!” She grabbed the plate of them and plopped down in the sand. Immediately, she dug in, getting sauce on her hands and face.

Daniel was _disgusted_.

David could only cringe.

“Yeah, she’s wild.” Max shrugged. “Neil, what do you want?”

“Uh,” Neil seemed far more shy than his sister. He kept his hands up by his chest and hesitated. “I don’t- I mean, a burger is fine I guess.”

“Cool.” Max grabbed one of the plates with a burger and gave it to him. “We got drinks in the cooler.”

“Thanks.” Neil sat on the empty chair. Max grabbed another burger and sat beside him.

That left one burger and some chicken strips for the adults. David cut the burger in two and sat down beside Daniel. They shared the meals as well as a large soda. 

The kids finished their meals quickly and ran back to the water. David grinned at Daniel. “Did you see the way Max kept looking at Niel?”

“Not really,” Daniel replied as he dipped a piece of chicken in some ranch, “Was it good or bad?”

“I think he’s got a little crush.” David chuckled.

Daniel quirked a brow. “Really? That’s a surprise.”

“It’s so cute.”

“He’ll never admit to it though.”

David hummed and his smile fell. “Danny?”

“Yes, Davy?”

“What’s the compound like? Will Max be happy there?”

Daniel paused. He put the plate aside and draped an arm over David’s shoulders, pulling him close. “The compound is beautiful, Davy. It’s tucked away in the forests of Oregon, surrounded by trees and protected by a big fence, so it’s safe there. There’s lots of people with lots of professions. We rarely need anything from the outside. We have a massive farm of animals and food, and stores and entertainment and, of course, a grand church. The school is well-maintained and we have great teachers. There’s kids of all ages so he’ll make lots of friends. There’s plenty to do. He’ll be happy there, I promise.”

David smiled and relaxed against him. “I hope so. I want him to be happy. Just like I am.” He kissed Daniel’s jaw and nuzzled him. His handsome future husband.

### 

Within a few hours, Max returned with his friends. David and Daniel ended up taking all three along to the boardwalk, where they played some games and ate some sweets and grabbed some souvenirs. It wasn’t really the quality family time David had been hoping for, but he enjoyed it anyway. It was nice to see Max having fun with other kids. It was even nicer to watch him awkwardly hit on Neil. So cute!!

It was later in the evening when his friends had to go. They left him with their address and phone numbers, hoping they could all keep in touch. David was reminded that it was really time to get Max a cellphone. 

Soon it was just the three of them again, resting in their lounge chairs.

“Did you have fun with your new friends today, Max?” David asked with a big smile.

“Yup.” Max replied. He was curled up in his towel, staring out at the water.

“You should write them soon, so you can keep in touch. Maybe Neil would want to be your boyfriend?”

Max’s head snapped over, his eyes wide with fury. “ _What_?! I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“I saw the way you looked at him! You think he’s cute, huh?” David teased.

“N-no I don’t, I just-” Max stopped and relaxed, “Oh, wait, you’re gay. Yeah, Neil was pretty cute. I don’t want a long-distance relationship though.”

“Aawww, you’re so cute!” David reached over to pinch his cheek, but Max swatted his hand away.

“Don’t touch me!”

“But you’re just so adorable!”

“I’ll scream, I’m not fucking kidding.”

Daniel spoke up, but his eyes didn’t leave his book. “No, you won’t. You like us too much.”

“Fuck you, blondie.”

David chuckled and made himself comfortable against Daniel. It was getting a little chilly, since the sun was disappearing, so he was happy to have someone warm to cuddle with. Daniel grinned and put his book away. He wrapped his arms around David and kissed his face several times, making him giggle.

Within a few minutes, Daniel noticed Max staring. He smiled and gestured for Max to come over. “Why don’t you come join us? Bet it’s warmer than that towel.”

David rolled over slightly and held an arm out with a smile, “Maxyyy!”

Silently, Max gathered his towel and carried it over. He was picked up and placed right between them. The towel was draped over them, and soon he was nice and warm. David leisurely stroked Max’s hair.

Daniel gestured up to the sky. “I never liked the city very much because you can’t really see the stars. I can spot a few over the ocean, but the lights are too bright to really see them. I can’t wait to show you how they shine over the compound.” 

“I bet they’re breathtaking… I can’t wait to see. Right, Max?” David toyed with his hair.

Max didn’t reply. He stared up at the sky. His eyes began to water.

“What’s wrong?!” David gasped and cupped his face.

“Are you okay?!” Daniel sat up so he could get a better look at him.

Max wiped his eyes, keeping his fists in them. “My parents would have picked me up today. I’d be at their house now.”

Both David and Daniel felt their hearts fall. They looked at one another in dismay, then looked back down at Max. “I’m so sorry…” David said softly, “I… I’d forgotten about them-”

The boy took a shaky breath. “They’d pick me up and barely say hi. The car ride home would be totally silent. The whole month until school started I’d stay in my room and wish I were dead. We’d barely speak to each other, even over dinner. They’d leave me home alone all the time, never even _asking_ if I wanted to go with them somewhere. No new clothes for school. No seeing me off on the first day, or any other. No questions about my grades. No _anything_. It’s like living with _ghosts_. It’s _miserable_!” He let out another little sob, then took a breath. “I _hated_ it! I hated it _so much_! I don’t understand what I _did_ to make them _hate_ me! What’s _wrong_ with me!?”

“ _ **Nothing**_!” David and Daniel said at the same time. Daniel continued, “Max, you’re _ten_! You couldn’t _possibly_ have done _anything_ to make them like they are! The way they treated you was _inexcusable_! _They’re_ the problem, not _you_. You’re _wonderful_ , Max. You _never_ deserved to be treated like that.”

“And you never will.” David finished. He kissed Max’s forehead and hugged him tightly.

Max sniffled and swallowed a lump in his throat. “You two treat me more like your kid than those two ever did, and we’re not even related. You’ve been better parents to me in two weeks than they were in ten years. You care about me, and include me, and like when I talk to you, and are always dragging me along to something lame to try and make me happy… and it does. You make me so happy… I love you guys…”

Both men smiled, their hearts swollen. “We love you too, Max.” Daniel stated firmly but softly.

“ _So_ much.” David finished. 

Max wiped his tears and smiled. Hands petting his head, stroking his hair reassuringly, two bodies close and protective on either side of him, and kisses on his head and cheeks. The ocean air was chilly, but he was warm and safe and _loved_. There was pain in knowing the people who’d brought him into this world never loved him like this, but so much _joy_ in knowing there were two people who _did_. Two men who’d do anything for him, who’d keep him safe, who’d take care of him and teach him and lead him through the world until he was ready to face it on his own.

His two dads.

### 

The next morning David and Daniel packed a picnic lunch for their stroll through Central Park. When they fetched Max, he stepped out wearing a hoodie they did not recognize.

The hoodie was light blue overall, with accents of dark green. Three green trees on the front and a large one on the back, a green hood, green front pocket, and green stripes down the sleeves.

It took a few seconds for them to realize… this was both of the hoodies they'd purchased for him days ago. He'd cut and sewed and made them into one.

Max opened his arms. “What do you think?”

“Very impressive!” Daniel complemented, “You're certainly very talented and very creative!”

David was too overwhelmed with emotion to offer a coherent response. He fumbled something along the lines of “it’s beautiful!” and pulled Max into a tight hug.

They left together shortly after, heading right across the street into the park. It was beautiful and green and alive. The trees swayed in the breeze and birds flocked between them. There were quite a few people out, some playing on the grass and some walking the paths.

Max tugged on David's jeans to get his attention, then held up his hand. He did the same to Daniel. When they both took his hands, he hopped so they'd lift him.

They were tall enough, and he was short enough, that they were able to comfortably carry him while he swung, his feet dangling several inches above the ground. 

David and Daniel smiled at each other. This was pure happiness.

They walked leisurely, taking in the sights. Max climbed some rocks and playground equipment, David enjoyed the landscape, and Daniel paused to read all the plaques and admire the statues and monuments. They paused beside the statue of Balto to sit awhile and enjoy the shade.

Finally, just after eleven, they found a nice patch of grass in some trees and decided it was perfect for lunch. David laid out the blanket, which he'd kept in a bag he’d carried on one shoulder, then Daniel gently placed the picnic basket down in the middle. 

They sat down and unpacked some sandwiches and small snacks. 

David munched quietly on a tuna sandwich, watching affectionately as Max and Daniel argued over which was better; Mayo or Miracle Whip. David honestly couldn’t tell a difference. His eyes drifted from them and scanned the area, taking in the beautiful scenery. There was another little family on the grass down the hill, pointing at clouds. On one of the smaller paths was a young woman jogging on her own.

 _‘An easy victim.’_ David thought.

He blinked in surprise. 

Oh, right… They were murderers, weren’t they? All three of them. Despite the normalcy of the last few days, they were far from it. There was blood on their hands and there would be more. They would be wanted men if the police ever figured out who slaughtered all those camps. Hopefully, the compound would keep them safe.

“Danny?” He turned back to his fiance.

“Hm?” Daniel looked at him, then smiled.

“Will we get another victim soon?”

“Sure. Once we leave and cross into a less populous state, we’ll get a motel and find someone to play with.”

“Can I play too?” Max asked.

Daniel ruffled his hair. “Of course, kiddo. We’ll have a grand ol’ time.”

Max smiled, his eyes sparkling. “Awesome.”

### 

Later that evening they decided on a musical; Heathers. Afterwards, David let Max have his cellphone for the night so he could text his friends. He and Daniel hit a bar down the street, having a few drinks, sharing some laughs, and doing a little socializing for the Hell of it. It was good to interact with people who weren’t going to be your victims once in awhile.

They were up early the next day. After breakfast they were out the door, and by lunch they were out of New York. Within a week they’d be on the opposite side of the continent, living happy and safe in their new home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rumor come out: Does Maxwell is gay?? 
> 
> Next chapter we get our first look at the compound where Daniel grew up! Aren't you excited? Please enjoy these last few pleasant chapters before shit hits the fan :)))


	17. Westward Bound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you follow my fandom tumblr (aasfandoms) you probably know that last weekend I stayed a few nights with my grandfather in the mountains and did not have internet. Well, I did get some writing done while I was there, but when I came back my files did not sync correctly between my phone and laptop (I use GoogleDocs to write, so I can work on my phone or laptop) and so... the writing I did got deleted. So that sucked.
> 
> But! I got my shit together and finally got this out. It was probably for the best anyway, as when I returned I found that someone had left a request for some gore and I was able to include it in this chapter! Happy reading!

Indiana was their first stop for a good night’s rest. They’d made a few small side-trips on the way to see interesting things or take a break or find a good meal, but this would be the final stop for the night.

The hotel was small, a short distance off the main road, and noticeably run-down. The neon sign was flickering and more than half the lights down the walkway in front of the rooms were burnt out. The car eased through a hole-ridden parking lot, then parked near the curb. The white lines were too faded to see anymore.

The lobby was brightly lit despite all this. They entered and found it equally as lacking as the rest of the hotel, however.

“If we get bedbugs from this, I’m going to kill you.” Max stated. He crossed his arms and stood beside David while Daniel rang the bell and leaned on the counter.

“Max, bedbugs can come from anywhere. The hotel we stayed in last night could have had them.” David explained.

Max scoffed, “Yeah, but at least that place would try to get rid of them. Does this place look like-” He shut up when a man stepped out from a backroom and walked up to the counter.

“Evening, friend!” Daniel greeted with a big smile. “We need two rooms, please, both singles, preferably adjacent.”

The man quirked a brow, looking Daniel up and down. His eyes flicked to David, doing the same, then to Max. They lingered a moment. He grabbed a clipboard and slid it to Daniel. “Name. It’s thirty per room.”

Daniel jotted down a fake name on the sheet, then dug his wallet out and handed the owner $60 in cash. “Thank you very much, friend! Do you have to run this whole place by yourself?”

The man hummed an affirmation as he picked out some keys. “Not a lot ‘a traffic through here, so no sense hirin’ someone to help. Try not ta make a mess ‘a the rooms and I prefer you be out by noon, else I might hafta charge ya another night.”

Daniel chuckled, “No worries! We’ll be leaving bright and early tomorrow!”

The man hummed again and handed Daniel a set of keys. He grinned slightly and leaned over the counter to hold the other set over the side, looking at Max as he did so. “You gettin’ a room all ta yourself, lil fella?”

Max eyed the keys suspiciously. Kind adults were never trustworthy. “Course I am. How am I supposed to sleep with them when they wrestle all night?” He shrugged.

“Max!” Both men blurted. David was red.

“What? I’m just saying.” Max suppressed a grin as he stepped forward and snatched the keys. Ah, it was fun to be a little shithead once in awhile.

David hustled him out and Daniel followed after a final thanks. 

They moved the car down several feet so it was parked between their two rooms. Max took the one on the left, and the adults the one on the right. The rooms weren’t gorgeous, but they were a place to sleep. That was good enough.

“I found our next victim.” Daniel stated as he and David stood by the car.

“Already?” David quirked a brow, “We haven’t even seen anyone.”

“Hotel owner.” Max stated as he walked past them and into his room, leaving the door open.

“Isn’t that risky?”

Daniel smiled at him, “Not at all. He works here alone, and obviously lives here too. Low traffic area, rural town, sparse population, it’ll be fine. We just have to get him to our room. Oh, by the way,” He pointed at Max, “We’re sharing a room tonight.”

“Aw, what?!” Max hollered and came storming out of his room.

“Keep your voice down!” Daniel hissed. “We have two rooms and one is going to have a dead body in it tonight. Do you want to sleep with it??”

Max huffed and tried to puff up his chest, but almost immediately decided it just wasn’t worth it. “No….”

“Exactly. Neither do we, so we’re sharing a room tonight.”

“You aren’t gonna ‘wrestle’ are you?”

“No!” David balked, “God, not with you in the room! Goodness…”

“Just making sure, man. Just making sure. So, how we gonna get the guy?” 

Daniel crossed his arms and leaned forward. “You saw how he was with you. He either likes kids or likes kids, you know?”

Max grimaced, “Yeah, I noticed.”

“We’re not using Max as bait, are we?” David asked nervously.

“Only a little, don’t worry.” Daniel patted his shoulder, then resumed speaking to Max. “You think you could go knock on his door later and get him to follow you to your room? Maybe complain about a leak or something?”

Max thought on it a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, I could. Sounds easy enough. You’re gonna watch out for me, right?”

“Of course.” Daniel smiled softly at him and ruffled his hair. “I wouldn’t let _anything_ happen to you.”

### 

The knock wasn’t very loud. Max figured that would be less likely to put the man on edge. The door opened moments later. The man looked around for the source.

“Excuse me.” Max said in a little voice.

The man looked down in surprise, then grinned and knelt. “Well, hello there, lil fella. What brings ya over?”

“My sink is leaking but my dad’s are wrestling and I don’t like to bother them when they’re doing that. There’s water on the floor and I don’t know what to do…” He puffed his bottom lip out, trying to look as pitiful as possible.

“Aw, poor lil guy.” The man patted his head. “Your dads ignore you a lot?”

Max felt his eye twitch. He wanted to snap and scream about how they _never_ ignored him and they _smothered_ him with attention and how his birth parents could _never_ even come close to how _amazing_ these two were- but he calmed himself. “Sometimes. The floor is really wet and it’s gonna mold! Please help me.” 

“Aw, don’t worry ‘bout the floor, champ. Hey, I got some movies you might like. Wanna come watch ‘em with me?”

Goddamnit. “No. I don’t like movies. If I mess up the floor my dad’s will yell at me. Will you please help me?”

“Don’t worry, I can fix the floor later. I have some cartoons too.”

_‘Fuck this,’_ Max decided. He leveled a hard stare at the man. “Come help me clean up the mess, or I’m going to scream and tell my dad’s you touched me. They’ll believe me too, and the blonde one hits really hard.”

The man went pale. “Oh, uh, that’s- I wasn’t trying-”

“Time’s a’ wastin.” Max smirked and quickly walked away. 

Unsurprisingly, the man hurriedly followed.

Max got to his door as quick as he could and slipped inside, leaving it slightly ajar. It swung open again when the man entered, and he didn’t hesitate to close it and slide the chain lock into place.

Max stood just outside his bathroom, pointing into it. “The whole floor is wet. Better fix the leak before I make a fuss.”

“Mhm.” The man hummed. His face was dark as he strode over. Clearly, he did not give a shit about the bathroom. He reached for Max as he came closer, but his hand never touched him. As soon as he was in front of the bathroom doorway, he was done for.

Max’s eyes flashed and his grimace turned into a twisted smile.

Daniel stepped out from the bathroom and grabbed the man by the neck. “Hello again, friend!” He slammed him against the wall, pinning him there by his throat. “I see you tried to put your hands on my son! I sort of figured you might try it. Bad choice!”

David stepped out behind him with ropes and a gag. “Sounds like this went from a twenty-minute ordeal to an all night one.” A manic grin creeped its way onto his face.

Daniel smiled wickedly. “Indeed it did.”

### 

The body was left hanging from the wall as if crucified. That had been entirely Max’s idea, and was sure to really confuse the cops. 

They stayed on the road for the most part, only stopping for bathroom breaks, gas, and food, which were all usually taken care of in a single stop. Daniel and David took turns driving. They had the Heathers soundtrack playing on loop to keep them entertained. David liked singing along, Daniel would join him for duets, and Max kept his face in his game and pretended he didn’t find the antics enjoyable.

It wasn’t until Nebraska that they found a new source of entertainment.

“And when the Highschool gym goes ‘BOOM’ with everyone inside _-pew pew pew-_ ” David was in the middle of finger guns when Daniel suddenly turned the music off. “Heeyyy-”

“Slow down.” Daniel nodded toward the side of the road ahead.

David took his foot off the gas and let the car slow naturally. Ahead, he spotted someone walking on the side of the road. Now, the road they were on wasn’t exactly desolate, being a four lane with moderate traffic, but he figured no one would really pay that much attention to someone pulling over to pick up another person.

As they drew closer, he could tell it was a woman, about average height and just a tad chubby, wearing jeans and a hoodie. The seafoam green backpack slung over one shoulder was what had caught Daniel’s eye so far away. Her brown hair was in a ridiculously long braid, nearly down to her butt. She glanced over her shoulder at them as they pulled over, exposing square glasses and thick brows.

They stopped just in front of her. She hesitated a moment before walking up to the passenger window, which Daniel quickly rolled down. “Afternoon!” He greeted with a smile. “What’s a lovely young lady such as yourself doing walking such a long stretch of road?”

“Uhh…” She glanced up and down it. This close, they could see she had a mole on her right cheek and eyes that were brown like her hair. “Well… it’s kind of a long and dumb story, to be honest.”

“Ah, that’s alright. Would you like a ride to your destination?”

“Um…”

“Oh, terribly sorry! I’m sure a couple of strange men must seem oh-so-inviting! My name is Daniel, and this is my husband, David. That’s our son, Max, in the back. Say hi, Max!”

“No.” Max stated without looking up from his game.

Daniel shrugged and leaned slightly out of the car, speaking more from the side of his mouth. “That’s how you can tell he’s adopted. He certainly didn’t get that from either of us!” He chuckled and winked playfully.

She giggled, put at ease. “Well, I guess I wouldn’t mind a ride to the next town, if it’s no trouble.”

“Not at all!” David called from the driver’s seat, “We’re on a road trip, so we don’t exactly have a destination set in stone! We can take you anywhere you like!”

“Aw, thanks!” She smiled. She climbed into the backseat next to Max and buckled in.

Daniel and David exchanged grins. They eased back onto the road and got up to speed. Daniel made chit-chat with her while David kept his eye out for a good place to work. He spotted a decrepit old house several yards off the road. It’s gravel driveway was overgrown with weeds, and the exterior of the house suggested no one had been there in years.

Perfect!

The car slowed when he took his foot off the gas. He braked gently, trying not to alert her. The driveway was difficult to locate, but once he did he eased onto it.

The conversation stopped. 

She looked out the window, tense, but didn’t say anything. No one else did either. David parked behind some overgrown trees and shut off the car. 

Immediately, she grabbed the door handle and yanked, throwing all her weight against it in an effort to get out and run.

It didn’t budge.

“Child locks are a real bitch, aren’t they?” Max said as he shut off his game and put it away.

David and Daniel climbed out of the front. David opened Max’s door and let him out, then leaned in with a crooked grin. 

She whimpered and pressed herself against the door to get further away from him, but the door suddenly opened and she fell out. Daniel grabbed her arms and hauled her up. “Don’t fight. It’ll only make it more difficult for you. This won’t take long.”

She screamed and slammed her elbow into his gut. It knocked the air out of him and loosened his grip. She tore herself free and ran as hard as she could. 

She didn’t get far.

David caught up and swept his legs against hers, knocking them out from under her. She hit the ground with a yelp and was pinned when he sat down on her back.

“We really don’t appreciate that!” David snarled with a forced smile. He grabbed her hood in a tight grip and pulled, choking her.

Daniel was with him a moment later. They dragged her to her feet and kept a firm grasp on her arms as they lead her to the house.

Max had already busted the door handle off with a board and some good ol’ fashioned leverage. He was praised for it as they entered the house. 

The inside was as shitty as the outside. The carpet was nasty and much of the wood was rotting. The living room they first entered still had some worn furniture in it that was nothing more than nesting material for rats anymore. They could see into the kitchen, where the linoleum was curled or peeling or missing. The counters all had a thick layer of dust.

Daniel swallowed to suppress a gag. Disgusting.

They dragged her, kicking and screaming, down a narrow, empty hall. It’s walls were yellow, with white squares where pictures had once hung. The first room they came to was on the rear side of the house, and empty except for a bed frame leaning against the wall.

Perfect.

“LET ME GO!” She screamed. They threw her to the ground and David was quick to pin her down. She fought, and he was a little surprised by her strength. 

“Should I go get the ropes?” Max asked.

“No, this won’t take very long.” David replied. “I’d rather you stay in the house.”

“Can I look around the house?”

“Aw, you don’t want to participate? Or watch?” David looked at him sadly.

Max shrugged. “Eh, you let me really tear into that guy last night, so you might as well enjoy this one. I wanna see if I can find some good shit to steal.”

“Alright, just be careful and try not to leave any trace of our presence.” Daniel patted his head.

“I won’t.” Max trotted off to look around.

She continued struggling and screaming and crying, but the two men in the room were completely relaxed and unconcerned. “Do you want to play too?” David asked his husband.

Daniel shook his head. “That’s alright. You know I’m not really that interested in chopping people up. So messy.”

“Heh, just thought I’d ask. Will you hold her arms down for a minute?”

“Sure, sweetie.” Daniel smiled and walked over. He knelt at her head and grabbed her wrists, pinning them firmly to the floor.

“PLE-EASE LET ME GO!” She cried, “I WON’T TELL ANYONE I SWEAR!”

David withdrew a long, sharp blade and sat on her legs. He sliced up the middle of the hoodie, pulling it open. The tank top beneath was torn open next. He left her bra in tact. She screamed and fought harder, but the two men were stronger. When the knife touched her gut, she sucked in.

It did not save her.

The sharp blade bit into her flesh. Blood pooled up immediately and ran down her sides. The blade sank deep into her abdomen and slowly sliced across it. The sound of skin splitting was drowned out by her screams of agony. 

Once the cut was long enough, David withdrew the knife. With a little giggle, he pushed down on her abdomen. As expected, intestines oozed out of the hole and spilled down onto the floor on either side.

Daniel released her arms and stood, towering over them both with a twisted smile.

The poor girl was still screaming, though now it was more of an involuntary reaction than a conscious decision. With shaking hands, she cupped her intestines and tried pushing them back inside her. 

The two above her laughed.

“I always wondered if that would work!” David giggled.

“That’s so very demented, David. I fall harder and harder for you every day.” Daniel said sweetly.

“Awww! I love you, Danny!”

“I love you too, Davy.”

David giggled and returned his attention to his victim. Her hands were a mess with her own blood, which had also stained the carpet and coated her torso. She was still trying, in vain, to shove the intestines back in. Her screams had died down into a low, haunting moan and there was an empty glaze over her eyes.

David pressed the knife to her flesh again. This time, he sliced her down the middle, from her ribs to the first wound. She jolted and choked and her hands paused, still trembling violently. Her head flopped to the floor and she garbled something incoherent.

The knife sank into her one final time. Angled so it would slip under her ribcage, a quick slashing motion tore into both her lungs and her heart. It took only seconds for her to drown on her own blood.

When she was finally dead, David stood. Despite the gore, he’d managed to stay relatively clean. His hands were quite bloody, however, so he held them out away from himself. 

Daniel went to the car. The backpack left in the floorboard was tossed underneath the house’s porch, where it would hopefully just rot. He grabbed some soap, water, and rags, and brought them to David. He helped him wash his hands over a dirty bathroom sink. When David finished and was drying his hands, Daniel cupped his face and pulled him into a kiss.

A little cough at the door got their attention. They found Max standing in the doorway with something in his hands. It was wrapped in a pillow case. “I got you guys something.” There was a grin on his face that left them both feeling weary.

“What is it?”

Max smiled an evil little smile. He gripped whatever it was in one hand and held it upright. The pillow case fell away from it, but was still held between it and Max’s hand.

It was the biggest dildo David had ever seen in his life.

“ _ **MAX!**_ ” Both men screamed. What came next was a flurry of words between them amounting to ‘holy fucking _shit_ put that _down_ ’ ‘that is _disgusting drop it_ ’ ‘jesus fucking christ where did you even find that nasty thing _get rid of it this instant_ ’ etc. etc.

“Is this really any more disgusting than that mess in the other room?” Max pointed out.

“YES!”

“DROP IT NOW!”

Max laughed and tossed the thing onto the floor. Even though he hadn’t actually touched it, since he used the pillow case, Daniel still made him wash his hands.

David was red faced as they returned to the car. This time, he slipped into the passenger seat and Daniel took the driver’s.

“That did kind of give me an idea though.” Daniel admitted as he backed the car out of the trees. “I think we’ll stop by the next adult store we see and check out what they have.”

“Danny!” David gasped, turning redder.

Max just screamed and covered his ears.

Daniel smirked. Served that little shit right.

### 

Wyoming was the next state they stayed the night in. The hotel was much nicer and Max was excited to get his own room again. Daniel was excited to be alone with David again, and made that quite clear. They didn't get much sleep that night. David was fine with this.

The next morning they grabbed breakfast at a diner down the road. Daniel bought a newspaper and read it while they ate.

“The camps have been found.” His eyes roamed the page. “This entire paper is practically just different articles about each camp and a few about all of them and investigations-” he suddenly frowned, “There was a survivor. Sophie Blankenship. Who was that again?”

David answered, “She was at the last camp. Redhead, autistic, quiet. Max pushed her off a loft. She fell on some farming equipment and was impaled…” He couldn't believe she'd _survived_ that.

“Is she in the hospital?” Max questioned. Damnit! How did she live through that?!

“Looks like she's currently in a coma.” Daniel perused the article. “Her condition is poor but stable. They don't know if she'll wake up. They think she will probably have some brain damage.”

“Good.” David said. Hopefully, she would never be able to speak a word about what she’d witnessed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so things ran a little long and NEXT chapter we will get to see the compound. I was going to try to include it at the end of this, but the first section is already a couple of pages long and its still freaking going so screw it. You can have this lovely chapter, then the next one is where things start looking a little... worrying for our happy little family. See ya next weekend! >:)
> 
> Note: I've tried to make it kind of clear on a few occasions that Daniel doesn't really like to get too dirty. He doesn't really participate in the bloody part of murder. Hm, I wonder how that will fit in later...


	18. No Place Like Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, we've officially made it to the compound! Happy reading! <3

Fields of wheat and miles of nothing soon turned back into thick forest. The road wound through trees and hills for miles and miles, making it seems as if they were the only living people left. The trees stretched high into the air, making it difficult to even see the top of them. David was smitten, and felt entirely at home here. 

Their turns became further and further from any main highways, and eventually turned to dirt roads. The trees grew larger, taller, older, more grand than any David had ever seen. He put a hand on Daniel’s leg and leaned over, whispering in his ear, “I want to make love out here.”

Daniel shivered and gently stroked David’s leg. “We will one day soon, I promise.”

David giggled and kissed his cheek.

The trees eventually broke, revealing a long clearing of beautiful grass. On the other side of the clearing was an incredibly tall, metal fence. It stretched several miles in either direction. David couldn’t see the end of either side. The road led to a tall gate, which slowly slid open when they approached. Daniel eased the car through.

Max put his new cellphone away, which he'd gotten only a few hours ago. They’d let him pick one out while they'd been browsing an adult shop. He didn't ask what was in the black bags they'd left with. He did not want to know.

Just inside of the gate was a small area with a station on either side and another gate ahead of them. A check area, it seemed. There were people in the stations looking out at them, and other people waiting outside.

A tall black man approached them, a large gun slung over one shoulder. Max slid lower in his seat. “Danny…?” David's voice was soft, fearful.

“Don't worry,” Daniel reassured with a smile. “It's mostly just an intimidation tactic. We have to protect our people.” He rolled the window down.

The man smiled. “Daniel! I didn't recognize you!”

“Howdy, Dex! Long time no see, my friend!”

Dexter leaned against the car door. “How you been, man?”

“Fantastic! I purified a good number of camps this summer!”

“Yeah, we just saw it on the news! Good work! Who're your guests?”

“This is David, and that's Max! They're going to be staying with me.”

“That's great! Well, we'll let you on through so you can get settled. We need to catch up later!”

“Absolutely! Thanks so much, Dex!”

“No problem, Dan!” Dax stepped away from the car and waved to one of the booths. Someone inside hit a switch and the second gate slowly opened.

Daniel rolled up his window and let the car ease forward. “For the record, don't ever call me Dan.” God, he hated that nickname, but he had long since given up trying to get certain people to stop using it.

“You didn't introduce us as your family…” David pointed out softly.

Daniel cringed. “No, I didn't… Here's the thing…”

David's heart fell. This didn't sound like it would be good news.

They passed through the gate and were on a smooth gravel road. There were buildings all around; shops and businesses and stores of all kinds. People walked to and fro along the sidewalks between them, and a few other cars were parked or on the road.

“I’m part of the High Order.” Daniel explained as he drove through town. “We don’t- We aren’t supposed to fall in love, because doing so is like putting someone else before Xeemug, which is blasphemous. We aren’t supposed to marry or bear children… So, I really need to talk to Father Gabriel about this before anyone else has a chance to mention it to him. If I get his approval, then I have the church’s approval, and everything will be fine!”

David’s gaze didn’t stray from the window. “...What if he _doesn’t_ approve…?” 

Daniel hesitated, then let out a small laugh. “He will. I know him very well.”

David tensed. “ _How_ well?”

For a moment, there was heavy silence. 

“I- I didn’t mean like that.” Daniel clarified. “He raised me after…” His words died on his lips. He had to pause to take another breath. “After my parents… passed.” Passed. The word sounded so gentle. It hadn’t been gentle at all. It had been agony, and he’d had to bear witness to it. 

David finally looked at him, sympathetically, and put a hand on his leg. “I’m sorry, Danny, I didn’t know.”

“It’s fine. I’m over it.” Daniel responded and squeezed David’s hand. “Anyway, it’ll be fine. I just need to sit down and talk to him, that’s all. I know he’ll welcome you. You’ve both done so much to help me. Besides,” he smiled adoringly at David, “we’re soulmates. We’re meant to be together. I know that, without a doubt.”

David smiled weakly. He wasn’t convinced that shit wasn’t going to hit the fan, but he was willing to put some faith in Daniel. They were indeed soulmates, after all.

The businesses soon turned into homes, with some eateries and little shops sprinkled among them. This place really was set-up just like a town. David had assumed it wouldn’t be quite this nice, but he was happy to be incorrect about that. The homes weren’t ritzy, but they were certainly comfortable, all with nice lawns and well-kept exteriors. 

“We’re almost entirely self-sufficient here,” Daniel explained, “Everyone who lives here, works here. We only bring in things from the outside that we can’t produce ourselves, such as certain foods, medicines, and electronics. Otherwise, everything you buy here, is made here. We have farms for vegetables and for animals, and one side of town is bordered by the ocean, so we can even fish and sell shells. I can’t wait to take you to the beach.”

They passed through those homes and pulled up to a gated section. The fence was iron bars with decorative spokes on top of each bar, and three bars running through them all. Daniel pulled his wallet out and removed a white card, with the number 113 in black letters on it. He held it against a little black box on a post. It beeped. The gates opened.

They continued in. The road here was paved and smooth. The houses were nicer. Two stories with fenced yards and lovely porches. There weren’t as many of them, however. Twenty, maximum, plus one amazing mansion on the end. David had to assume that was where Gabriel lived.

“These houses are for the higher members in the church, specifically those in the High Order, like myself. There aren’t many of us, so we don’t need many houses, but ours are quite nice.”

They pulled into the driveway of 113. It was similar to the others, but homely in it’s own ways. The lawn was green, there was a beautiful weeping willow outfront, a rock walkway that led to the porch, and solar lights along that walkway. There was a cute little porch swing on the porch, along with some lights around the awning of it and a flower bed with flowers and bushes as high as the railings. 

David was practically in tears when Daniel shut off the car. “Is… is this where we live?”

“Yep!” Daniel smiled brightly, “I’ve lived here since I was fifteen! It’s all ours. We can make whatever changes you want, and-”

“No!” David gasped, “It’s already _perfect_!” He threw his arms around Daniel and kissed him passionately. Whatever worries he had were out of mind. Everything was perfect.

Max was already packing his things up to get out. “Can my room be on the second floor?”

David broke the kiss so Daniel could respond, but still hugged him tightly.

“Yes!” Daniel replied and squeezed David. “There are three rooms on the second floor. My- _Our_ room, the study, and an empty room, plus two bathrooms.”

David loosened his grip and slowly sank back into his seat. “That seems like a lot for one person… I thought members of the High Order couldn’t have a spouse or kids, so why all the rooms?”

Daniel shrugged. “I think it’s just extra space for whatever we want. We’re allowed roommates if we so choose, or siblings or parents can stay with us. We’re also encouraged to take as many lovers as we want, so… I think some people have turned the extra rooms into, uh,” he glanced briefly at Max, “well… adult play rooms.”

“EW!” Max yelled and jumped out of the car. Hell no! He didn’t want to know this!!

Daniel laughed and went to open his door, but David stopped him. “Danny?”

“Yes?” He turned to his lover with a smile, but it fell when he saw David’s hurt expression. “What is it, baby?”

“Have you had… a lot of lovers…?” He couldn’t look him in the eye. He felt stupid for feeling jealous.

“Oh, Honey…” Daniel cupped David’s face. “Not near as many as people would think. Only a few here, and a few on the outside that didn’t live to tell about it. They’re nothing to me. You’re my whole universe, David. I love you, with ever fiber of my being.”

David lit up and cupped Daniel’s face. He booped their noses together. “I love you just as much! Even more!”

“Well I love you most!” Daniel kissed him sweetly, then they finally climbed out of the car.

They grabbed a few things each out of the back, but Daniel told them not to worry about grabbing a lot at the moment. He’d open the garage and pull the car in shortly, and that would make it faster. The flat rocks made a pleasant sound as they walked across them. The porch barely creaked, and the soft thumps of their footsteps over wood made David’s heart swell with joy. 

Daniel unlocked the door and stepped inside. He flipped the light switch on, then held the door open for his family to enter.

They stepped first into an entryway. There was a cabinet built into the wall with a mirror on top, perfect for placing some decorative items or something you really needed to remember to grab before going out, and the cabinet itself was good for shoe storage. There was a window beside the door and a coat hanger on the wall.

The entry led to a hallway. To the left was the kitchen, where they went first on their little exploration. There was a bar with a few stools against the wall right in front of a wide window, where they could see out onto the porch. The counters all matched the dark, smooth wood on the floors, with pale marble countertops. The pantry was wide and sparsely stocked. The dining room was against the kitchen, separated by a wide arch, and the living room was right against them both, with arches opening into the dining room and into the hallway directly across from the entryway. 

The living room was spacious, with a couch, a recliner, and a loveseat around a fireplace with a television hanging above it. The stairs were against one wall and accessible from the hallway through the same arch as the living room. Daniel led them to a door against that same wall but behind the stairs. 

The door took them into a tiled room that was one step down from the previous. There were seats and plants and a piano against one wall. Oddly, one entire side of the wall was nothing but curtains.

“Check this out.” Daniel walked over and began pulling open the curtains.

Windows. An entire wall of them, all looking out into the backyard. A sliding glass door led out onto a small porch. David was smitten. He’d always wanted a sunroom and a beautiful backward! The grass was a lush green and there was a strong tree outback that David was already sizing up for a tire swing or tree house for Max. There was a shed toward the back with a nice fire pit outfront. 

A second door on the other side of the room took them back into the main house. They entered a carpeted den with two loveseats and a little TV. Another archway took them back to the hallway, where they passed a lovely bathroom, a hall closet, and finally, the door that led into the laundry room. It was wooden, but slid open like glass. The laundry room had a good amount of space, with a washer and dryer and a little closet. Right through it was a door that led to the garage. Daniel led them in and pressed the button by the door.

As the garage door slid open, it let in light. There were shelves along the walls, a deep freezer, and a work station, where it appeared someone liked to work with wood. There were birdhouses and wooden carvings of small animals.

“I, uh, make that kind of stuff for fun.” Daniel admitted shyly. “I sell it in the off season.” 

David barely had time to swoon. Max was already at the workstation. “Do you have one of those things that you can burn carvings into wood with?”

“Yes, I do.” Daniel smiled and walked over with David. “It’s a wood etching tool. You can make designs or words.”

“Will you teach me how to do that? It sounds cool.”

Daniel lit up, “Absolutely! Maybe the three of us can work together on some projects?”

David kissed his cheek. “We would _love_ that.”

Daniel pulled the car into the garage and they unpacked more belongings, taking them all into the living room for the time being. Once it was all inside, Daniel closed the garage up and joined them in the living room.

Next was the second story. The wooden stairs led up to carpet. The master suite was to the right. It was spacious and the connected bathroom was clean and shiny. The room in the middle was Daniel’s study. There was a desk and chair and several bookshelves filled with reading material, along with a loveseat against one wall to do some reading. Beside that room was a bathroom, not as big as the master’s but just as nice. The final room on the other side was empty. It was a nice size though with plenty of space in the closet and two windows, one overlooking the backyard and the other the side yard. Max loved it.

Beside that was a little nook in the upstairs hallway, where one could take a rest on a soft bench in the window. Max thought it would be a cool place to hangout and keep an eye on the street in front of the house. Just in case.

All in all, they loved it.

They moved things upstairs and unpacked. David made himself at home in Daniel’s room. It was _their_ room now. Just for him and the man he’d soon marry. He put his clothes in the closet, his toiletries in the bathroom, and the rest of his junk wherever it fit best. He tucked his guitar in the study, where he found a nice violin. With a grin, he trotted back to their room where Daniel was still tidying up.

“I didn’t know you could play the violin.” David teased.

Daniel looked up at him and smiled. “I’d love to play it for you later. I have a song for you.”

David gasped softly, his heart swelling, “Really?”

“Mhm. I didn’t write it, but I always knew I was meant to play it for you. It’s perfect for us.”

David swallowed so he wouldn’t start crying. It didn’t really work. He wiped at the tears prickling his eyes. “Oh, Daniel…”

“What is it, baby?” Daniel stood up and wrapped him in a comforting embrace. He rocked them gently back and forth. “Are those sad tears or happy tears?”

“Overwhelmed tears…” David hugged him. “I’ve always been so afraid I’d be alone… I mean, I never really looked for anyone, and I never wanted to risk getting close to someone, and I was always fine being by myself and living independently, but… sometimes the loneliness was just… crushing.” He buried his face in the crook of Daniel’s neck. “I never thought I’d find someone who loved me so much or could accept me for all my flaws! I never thought I could find someone I’m _meant_ to be with, who’d treat me so- so-” He finally broke down in soft sobs and clung to Daniel.

Daniel hugged him tightly. The rocking turned to swaying. “I know. I used to fear the same. My whole life I’ve been told I can’t have someone… I couldn’t take it. The thought of being alone is Hell to me, David. I can’t imagine anything worse…” He kissed David’s temple. “I broke a strict rule to learn about you, David,” he whispered, “I had to know if I had a soulmate, if I’d find someone or not, because to be honest with you I’m simply not willing to be alone like that. I couldn’t possibly live with it. And I found out there was someone for me, and my entire goal became finding you and making you happy… That’s all I want, Davy. I want you to be happy, and I want Max to be happy, and I want us to always be together. That’s all I want in this world… That’s all I want… I love you.”

“I love you!” David lifted his head and sniffled. There were tears in Daniel’s eyes too. They kissed, soft and slow and loving, as they continued to sway back and forth. They were safe here, happy here, loved here. They kissed over and over, on cheeks and lips and jaws and noses and chins, all affectionate and playful and loving. 

When the kisses finally stopped, they held one another tightly. David rested his head on Daniel’s shoulder, as Daniel did his as well, and spotted Max peaking in through the doorway. He smiled softly. “Would you like some hugs and kisses too, Max?”

Max looked at the floor with a slight pout. “No… I was just wondering when you two were done being gay.”

Daniel hummed and loosened his hold on David. “Probably never.” He suddenly let go and darted to the door.

Max was too startled to move. He threw a fit when he was swept off his feet and held. “Put me down!!”

David came over, giggling, and booped his nose. “Aw, I think our grouchie little boy needs some love!”

“I’d have to agree!” Daniel laughed. He hugged Max tightly and pressed quick kisses to his cheek.

“NOOOOO!!”

David pressed himself close and did the same, peppering Max’s face in kisses despite his protests. 

The boy wasn’t exactly fighting it, just whining a lot. Soon enough, he settled down, and he couldn’t force the smile away anymore. His giggles were soft, foreign to his own ears. He didn’t fight their kisses or nuzzles or coos. For just this moment, he let himself be ten years old, basking in affection from his parents.

When things finally settled down, Daniel was rocking him while David stroked his hair. Max was relaxed and at ease and leaning a bit too close to sleepy. He yawned softly and rubbed his eyes. Ugh, it wasn’t even late! “When am I gonna get a bed?” He asked softly.

Daniel hummed in thought. “Well, I still need to go speak to Father Gabriel. I don’t know how long that might take. After that I need to run to the store so we have something for dinner, and the furniture stores might be closed by then… Are you okay with sleeping on a couch tonight, and then tomorrow we go get you a whole bedroom set? I want you to find a nice set that you love.”

Max nodded. “That sounds fine. I’ve never got my own stuff like that before… and never new stuff.”

“Well, you can get whatever you want, and we can paint your room however you want to. It’s all yours. You can do whatever you want with it, as long as you at least try to keep it clean.”

“I can do that… Can I have a bunk bed…?”

“Sure.”

“Maybe one with the desk under the bed?”

“Absolutely. Whatever you want, kiddo.”

“Thanks, dad… I love you.”

“I love you too, Max.”

Max reached out and tugged at David’s shirt. “I love you.”

David chuckled softly. “I love you too. C’mere.” 

They carefully shifted Max over, putting him in David’s arms instead. He settled comfortably. They headed downstairs. Final kisses were exchanged before Daniel left, walking up the road toward the mansion.

David stood at the window for a while, staring at nothing. Eventually, he carried Max over to the couch and put him down. “Do you want a nap before dinner?”

Max shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “Nah. I wanna look around more!” He hopped off the couch and headed right for the sunroom. 

With a laugh, David happily followed.

### 

The carpet in the den was soft and a pretty shade of pastel blue. There was a shelf with a few board games (one of which was clearly meant for a very specific kind of adult 'party’ and David had to fight the urge to throw it away) so they grabbed Checkers and laid out on the floor. There was a soft smile on David's face as he taught his son to play. Max was scowling, but the fact that he kept trying and hadn't knocked all the pieces off the board meant some part of him was invested.

The front door opened. David's heartbeat quickened. He and Max exchanged worried glances. It had been two hours since Daniel left. They hoped that was him returning with good news, but neither wanted to move or speak for fear of knowing bad news too soon.

“David? Max?” Daniel called up the stairs.

“We're in the den.” David called back. 

Two sets of footsteps on wood coming down the hall. David's heart was racing. He stood and gestured for Max to do the same. On instinct, he pulled Max over to stand partly behind him.

Daniel stepped down into the den with a tense smile. Beside him was a tall man with broad shoulders and gray hair that he kept tidy. He was wearing a sleek white robe with gold accents and a gold and white sash around his waist. His features were strong, and his grey eyes were piercing. There was a hard grimace on his face.

“Father,” Daniel stepped a little closer to his family and gestured to them, his tone friendly but noticeably trembling, “This is my- this is David, and- this is Maxwell- Max.” He gestured to the priest, “This is Father Gabriel! He wanted to- to come meet you both.”

There was a tense silence. Gabriel looked them up and down. Max kept slightly behind David and tried not to glare. David’s gaze stayed firmly focused on Gabriel’s face, watching carefully. Daniel was nervously glancing between them. 

Gabriel took a few steps closer, making David tense up. He was prepared to hurt this man if he had to, regardless of what Daniel had to say about it. Surprisingly, Gabriel got down on one knee and spoke to Max. His voice was even, neither harsh nor affectionate. “Where are your parents?”

Max gripped David’s pants. “Right here.”

“Your _real_ parents.”

“Right here.” He couldn’t help a slight narrowing of his eyes.

“Your _birth parents_.”

“Who gives a fuck? They never did shit for me.”

He hummed. “You’ve got quite a mouth for a ten year old.”

Max glared. “Yeah? Well _you’ve_ got quite a-”

David quickly interrupted him. “Max! Behave.”

Max growled softly and tucked himself a little more behind David.

Gabriel stood, leveling his gaze at David. “Is it true you’ve helped people ascend? Both of you?”

“Yes.” David answered politely. “I like doing the dirty work and… Max likes to help.”

“And what of _your_ family?”

“I haven’t spoken to them in over a year. I don’t want to.” 

“If I were to allow you to stay, you would follow all of our rules, find a job, send the boy to school, and attend church weekly?”

“Yes, sir. Happily. We want to stay.”

“And if I were to allow this marriage, you would stay with Daniel forever, and worship Xeemug as your one true God?”

“Yes. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t completely positive that this is the life I want. Max and I will be great additions, I promise. I have lots of useful skills and so does Max, plus he’s so smart I’m sure he’ll make great contributions as he grows.” 

Gabriel hummed. He stared at them a moment, then turned to Daniel. “You’re as weak as your father was, but at least you’re smarter. They can stay. I expect him to find a job and the boy to attend school. They don’t have to start until next week. That should be plenty of time to settle in, meet people, and learn the town. You owe me for this, and you owe the church. I’m only allowing it because losing you would be a greater detriment to the church and town than breaking this rule is. I do expect you to do perform penitence for this tonight.”

“Yes, sir!” Daniel nodded eagerly, “Thank you so much, Father! I promise I’ll repay you and the church for this! Thank you! Thank you!”

“We’ll discuss repayment later. Get settled in. It’s good to have you back. I’m eager to hear more about your summer and those you helped ascend.” He looked at David again and nodded. “Good to meet you both. Daniel is my best evangelist, so I expect you’ll be good to him. Have a pleasant night.” 

A moment later he was gone. David could finally relax. Daniel wrapped him in a tight hug and kissed him all over his face. “He said yes! We can get married! You can stay!”

David chuckled and kissed him back, hugging him just as tightly. “I’m so happy, Danny! I was so scared!”

“Me too. I’m so happy you’re mine!” He cupped his face and kissed him deeply for several wonderful seconds. Eventually, he broke the kiss, and quickly scooped Max up. “And I’m so happy you’re mine too! Our son!” He carried Max against his chest, leaving the poor kid open and vulnerable to _affections_.

“Ugh, again?!” Max fussed as his fathers kissed him and hugged him and ruffled his hair. Truthfully, he was happy and relieved too, glad to know his life had some security now, with two dads who loved him and a community he could grow up in. He wasn’t going to admit to that though.

David was smiling bright enough to rival a star. “I can’t wait to start planning our wedding! Are we allowed to do that, or is there a protocol?”

Daniel’s smile was affectionate, “We can plan it however we want. Max could even be our ring-bearer!”

“Who says I even want to??” Max snapped.

“Do you want to?” David asked sweetly.

Max pouted and slouched in Daniel’s arms. “Yeah....”

They chuckled and kissed his head, then Daniel finally put him back on his feet. He ruffled his hair before straightening. “Alright, who’s getting hungry? I’ll make a run to the store and get us some groceries. Shouldn’t take too long. What do we want for dinner?” 

David looked down at Max. “What would you like?”

“Can… can we have steak?”

“Sure!” Daniel perked up, “I have a grill in the shed out back! I’d love to use it! Davy, do you think you could prep it while I’m gone? All the supplies are in the shed. The keys to it are hanging in the entryway.”

“Absolutely! How long do you think you’ll be gone?”

Daniel shrugged, “An hour, at most. I’m just getting some general supplies and dinner and breakfast. We can all go to the store tomorrow and get more. If we all go tonight, we’d be there for hours!”

They exchanged kisses and goodbyes and soon parted ways. David watched Daniel drive down the road, then snatched the shed keys and headed through the house to the backyard. Once outside, he took a deep breath. The air smelled of forest and ocean salt. There was a gentle breeze and the sun was warm on his skin. He could hear birds chirping in the trees.

When he opened the shed, the smell of dust greeted him. He loved it. There was a pull-string light inside. It illuminated the space. There were gardening tools hanging on one wall, a lawnmower on one side, and a grill on the other. David pulled it out and brought it up to the porch. Max brought up a bag of charcoal and the firestarter, receiving praise for doing so. 

David poured charcoal in the grill, then added the firestarter. “Now, we let that soak in for a while, then we’ll add more and start the fire. Wanna sit with me?” He sat down on a bench against the house. 

Max hopped onto the bench and sat leaning against him. “So, this is gonna be our life now, huh?” His gaze scanned the backyard. Spacious. Plenty of room to play out here, alone or with his dads or with friends. 

“Yeah, it is. Are you happy with it?” David put an arm around him.

Max smiled and nodded. “Yeah. I’m really happy. Thank you for everything, dad.”

“You’re welcome, son. I love you very much.”

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END
> 
> Haha no I'm kidding. I'm just going to make you WISH this was the end :) 
> 
> So, Father Gabriel... What are your thoughts on him? Why do you think he let David and Max stay, despite this violation of a very serious rule? What do you think happened to Daniel's parents? How wrong do you think shit is about to go? Let me know in the comments! They definitely help get chapters out sooner and the different perspectives really help fuel some good ideas!


	19. Cracks in the Foundation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Several people have asked about David being on top, so here's a bit of Top!David for you :) 
> 
> I also wanna say, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!! All the comments last chapter were AMAZING! Some of you hit the nail on the head, and so many were close with their thoughts/guesses that I have to be impressed! Ya'll are sharp ;) 
> 
> ((Psst, you might also want to look up "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley on Youtube and listen along when Daniel sings. It's just a nice little song.))

When Daniel returned he had bags full of goodies. Bread, milk, eggs, potatoes, various ingredients, plenty of meats for cooking or sandwiches, and tons of other stuff. David happily helped him put them all away, then cut up potatoes into fries. He cooked them in a pan, while Daniel worked on the steaks outside. Max went back and forth between them, helping with whatever little jobs they’d give him.

It wasn’t too long before they were sitting at the dining table together, just like any normal, happy little family. Just like any of them had ever wanted.

After dinner, they ended up in the den, sitting in the floor around a game of Life. The television was on in the background, but it was mostly just for noise. Max had never played this game before -they learned that he’d never played any of the board games Daniel had on the shelf- but he was a quick learner and genuinely liked it. David had expected him to be a sore loser, but he didn’t seem at all bothered when he came last in the first game. They played again, because this family bonding time was just too good to stop, and the second time Max came in first. His eyes were bright and his smile shining. He told them he’d never won anything before. David’s heart hurt for him. Daniel smiled softly and praised him for winning.

By the fourth game, it was getting late. Max’s last few turns had to be taken by David, as the poor kid had curled up on the floor and passed out. When they finished that game, Max came in second, but when David woke him after they put the game away he sweetly informed his son that he’d won again. Max made a tired little happy noise.

David scooped him up and carried him to the living room. Daniel fetched a pillow and blanket and they gently tucked him in on the large, comfy couch. Mr. Honeynuts was slipped between his arms and he instinctively hugged him tightly. 

They gave their son goodnight kisses, then double-checked all the locks, turned everything off, and headed upstairs.

“Are you going to play that song for me?” David whispered at the top of the stairs.

“Sure am.” Daniel pecked him on the lips. “Go start the shower. I’ll get the violin. We’ll wash, then I’ll play it for you.”

“And we’ll make love?” David asked hopefully.

Daniel chuckled and squeezed his hand, “Of course we will.”

They parted ways. David started the shower in the master bathroom and got undressed. By the time the water was getting warm, Daniel entered the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He stripped and they climbed in.

Unsurprisingly, despite tender touches and kisses, the shower soon turned the opposite of ‘steamy.’ Daniel had a removable shower head with a long hose attached. In the middle of a kiss, David yanked it off it’s holder and jumped back. The spray hit Daniel right in the face. David cackled. A fight ensued; they wrestled over the shower head, trying to spray each other with it. When they knocked a bunch of bottles off the shelf, they cringed at all the noise. Their laughter turned to snickers and the fight was over. The shower resumed once the bottles were back where they needed to be.

After the shower they threw on boxers and t-shirts. David sat down in the big, soft bed with crossed legs and an eager expression. Daniel picked up the violin and sat on the edge of the bed. David scooted over to him.

Daniel took a moment to make sure the violin was tuned. He played a scale then a few notes then a short little tune, adjusting as he needed to. The sound already had David relaxed.

Soon, Daniel took a breath and began to play, singing along softly. It was obvious he’d practised for this moment a thousand times.

“Wise men say… only fools rush in… But I… can’t… help… falling in love with you…”

David melted. He immediately recognized Elvis’ song, ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love.’ Daniel’s deep voice did it justice.

“Shall… I… stay…? Would it be… a… sin…? If I… can’t… help… falling in love with you…”

David leaned closer and joined him, harmonizing carefully.

“Like a river flows, surely to the sea… Darling so it goes, some things… are meant to be… Take… my… hand… Take my whole… life… too… For I… can’t… help… falling in love with you….”

David stopped, letting Daniel sing to him. Daniel was smiling.

“Like a river flows, surely to the sea… Darling so it goes, some things… are meant to be…. Take my hand… Take my whole life too… For I… can’t… help… falling in love with you… For I… can’t… help... falling in love… with… you…” 

The last note lingered a little longer before the room fell silent. Daniel lowered the violin and went to speak, but David cupped his face and kissed him. The force of it had Daniel leaning back and having to catch himself. He threw an arm around David and pulled him closer to deepen the kiss.

When they parted, Daniel quickly put the violin away and David scooted up the bed. Daniel crawled up to him, hovered over him, and finally kissed him again. David’s hands slipped under Daniel’s shirt, caressing his torso as he slowly pushed the fabric up. Daniel’s chest was firm and warm against his fingers, reminding him how real and strong this man was, how real and strong their love was. He pulled the shirt over Daniel’s shoulders, and the blond finally broke the kiss to remove it and throw it across the room.

It was Daniel’s turn to touch. He pushed David’s shirt up and began kissing and caressing his torso. David pulled his shirt over his head and threw it aside while Daniel touched him. His lips ghosted over freckles to press firm kisses to only certain ones. Always in the same pattern. David always forgot to ask him what that pattern was. His hands gripped Daniel’s shoulders and he let out a sigh as Daniel’s tongue played with a nipple. His warm mouth encased it, sucking gently for only a few seconds before his lips slid across David’s chest and he gave the other nipple similar treatment.

David squirmed beneath him, moaning softly. The attention soon traveled up to his neck, where Daniel added a bit of teeth to leave little love marks. Each nip made a jolt of hot desire pulse through David’s groin. He slid his hands down Daniel’s torso to his boxers. Fingers slipped under the hem. They brushed the hot organ underneath, making Daniel groan softly.

The angle was awkward, but David was able to caress it slowly. It was thick and heavy and just the thought of it entering him made another strong pulse of pleasure throb inside him. He wrapped a hand around the head and squeezed gently. 

“David…” Daniel breathed against his ear. He nipped it, then kissed David’s cheek. He sat back and grabbed David’s underwear, gently sliding it down David’s long, gorgeous legs, and finally tossing it aside. His own underwear soon joined.

Both now nude and erect, Daniel leaned back over his lover, pressing their bodies close. With one hand he held the heads of their cocks together and stroked slowly. It made David shiver and sigh. “Danny, please…” he whispered and gripped his lover’s shoulders again.

“What is it, baby?” Daniel whispered in return, “Tell me what you want, darling.”

“I want you inside me, nice and deep…” David kissed his jaw, “Make love to me, Danny…”

Daniel released their dicks and cupped David’s face. He kissed him sweetly. The kisses trailed lower, along with his hands. He gripped David’s legs and pushed them against his chest. The poor boy was at his mercy. An experienced tongue slipped between his cheeks. It brushed against David’s hole, making the man gasp softly. It pressed more firmly, teasing at the entrance with hard licks. David’s legs twitched. Finally, Daniel pressed his mouth around the entrance and his tongue sank inside.

David gasped sharply and his legs drew in. “Danny!” He whimpered and panted as Daniel’s tongue explored him, stretching and teasing and caressing in all the right ways. His legs trembled. His cock twitched and leaked and _ached_ for more. “Danny, _please_ …” he whined and squirmed.

Daniel withdrew his tongue and chuckled. He kissed the insides of David’s thighs, then slowly kissed back up his torso to his lips. It was deep, but brief. Daniel stretched over to the nightstand and got a bottle of lube out of the drawer. David giggled and wiggled in excitement. Daniel’s eyes twinkled when he noticed. “You’re too damn cute, you know that?”

David giggled, smiling playfully, “I’m glad you still think so.” The scar he saw every time he looked in the mirror still bothered him, but he tried not to think about it too often.

Daniel’s smile fell. He dropped the bottle and leaned down, cupping David’s face tenderly. “Of _course_ I do. You’re the most _gorgeous_ man in the entire _universe_ , David.” His tone was loving but pained, as was his expression, and David could tell by the look in his eye that he absolutely believed those words. Scar or not, David was perfect in his eyes.

David swallowed a lump in his throat. He cupped Daniel’s face, stroking his cheeks with his thumbs. “I don’t know what to say to that. Thank you. I love you. You’re so beautiful, Danny, in every way,” he whispered.

“I love you too, baby.” Daniel smiled softly, then kissed him again.

This time when Daniel picked up the lube, he was able to use it. He poured plenty in his hand and slowly spread it on his aching member. He stroked a few more times than necessary, taking in the beautiful sight of David laying before him, ready and willing- _wanting_ to be taken. 

Finally, he gripped David’s legs again and pushed. He kept them in place while David reached down and lined up Daniel’s cock with his entrance. It sank inside slowly, spreading David wider and wider with every inch. It’s girth was painful but so welcome. A long groan was a good indicator of exactly how welcome. David spread his legs more and pushed against Daniel.

Several hard inches later, Daniel was as deep as he could go and David was in Heaven. His abdomen ached softly from the intrusion. The pressure that made his cock throb and his body tingle was something he craved. “Danny…” he was already panting and began to squirm, “Go, please, move…”

Daniel grinned. He released David’s legs and grabbed his hands instead. He pinned them to the bed by David’s head and laced their fingers together. He started slow, gently rocking his hips and enjoying the way the movement made David’s legs draw in. The pace picked up steadily, as did the length of his thrusts, until he was moving at a steady, relaxed pace.

David was moaning and arching under him. “Danny… Danny…” His lover’s name fell from his lips over and over. Daniel couldn’t help but stare down at him. His beautiful face and all those gorgeous freckles that adorned his body. His eyes traced the constellations in David’s chest, admired the galaxy that was staring back at him. Blue eyes flicked upward, met green. David’s eyes were full of love and admiration. The name was still tumbling from his lips.

A sudden wave of emotion proved to be too much. Daniel’s orgasm took them both by surprise. He quivered and moaned, blowing a copious load inside David. The sensation had the redhead moaning as well.

When the pleasure finally subsided, Daniel stopped, panting. “Shit… I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to…” David hadn’t finished, and Daniel felt guilty for doing so first.

David chuckled softly. “It’s okay! Just means we get to go for a little longer. Come lay with me. I’ll take care of you until you’re hard again…” He winked and tugged at Daniel’s arms, urging him down.

Daniel didn’t budge. His eyes traced his lover’s perfect features. He loved his tan lines, where flesh as pale as his own turned an almost golden sort of brown from years basking in the sunlight. More and more freckles surely came with that, making David's skin look like a map of the stars. Daniel's entire universe was laying beneath him.

He took a breath, then smiled softly, “Actually… how would you feel about switching places tonight?”

David's smile fell into a confused little frown, “What do you mean? You want me to ride you?”

Daniel couldn't help a little laugh at David's naivety. “No, darling, I'm saying how about you put _your_ dick in _me_ tonight? Would you like to try that?” 

David’s face and chest tinted red. “Oh! Um… Well, if _you_ want to…”

“I do, but I'm asking _you_. Is that something you'd be comfortable with trying? I'd never force you to. I love being inside you, but I thought I'd offer and maybe we could try once? To see how we feel about it.”

David thought on it. He loved having Daniel inside him and he didn't think he'd be overly fond of a top position, but he supposed he was rather curious about it. If Daniel just wanted to try, then why not? They wanted to be together in every way possible, so really this was just another way for them to be close. “Okay,” he finally agreed after several seconds, “I think I'd like to try that…”

Daniel smiled affectionately and kissed his forehead, “Wonderful. We can always stop if you don't like it.” He gently pulled out and took a moment to enjoy the sight of his cum leaking from David's throbbing hole. He grabbed tissues and cleaned him up, then they swapped places.

David knelt nervously between Daniel's legs. Hesitantly, he picked up the bottle of lube and clutched it. “Um, should I…. use my fingers first?”

Daniel chuckled softly. “No, you don't have to. I'm experienced with this too. You can just stick your dick in me whenever you're ready.”

David turned red again. “Ohgoshdon’tsaythat…” 

A laugh. “Relax, babe. I’ll guide you. Put some lube on and let’s get this show on the road.”

“You’re not helping…” David muttered. He opened the bottle, then hesitated. “How much should I…?”

“A pretty good blob. Really no amount of lube is going to be too much. Apply it until you’re comfortable.”

“Okay…” David poured some into his palm, then spread it. The cold gel against his hot flesh made him hiss softly. Once he was satisfied with the coating, he hooked his hands under Daniel’s knees and pushed them toward his chest.

Daniel’s back popped and he twitched, startling David. “What was that??”

The blond laughed softly, “Just my back. Had a kink in it from all the driving. Thanks for fixing that, love.”

David grinned, “You’re welcome, baby. Anytime.” He continued, pressing the head of his cock against Daniel’s entrance.

They both took a deep breath. Daniel relaxed. David inched forward. When the head slipped inside they both gasped. “You okay?” David breathed.

Daniel hummed, “Fantastic, babe. Keep going. All the way in.”

David nodded and slowly sank deeper. Daniel was hot and tight and the feeling was indescribable. David whimpered and settled more comfortably against Daniel. “Is this okay?”

Daniel’s eyes were shut, his brows drawn together. “Definitely…” he sighed. He shifted slightly and settled again, this time with his arms behind his head, looking quite content. “Start slow. I like it hard, but you just do whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“Okay…” David lightly bit his lip. Okay, okay, he could do this! It totally wasn’t a big deal! It wasn’t like he was kind of freaking out about hurting his soulmate or anything!! Taking a steadying breath, he began moving. Slow, shallow, just trying to get a feel for the movement.

Daniel sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. Though he was eager for more, he didn’t want to push David. Besides, it had been a while since the last time he’d done this. Best to take it slow for now. 

The pace gradually increased. David was adjusting, relaxing, and allowing himself to worry a little less about Daniel. Hell, David took it painfully hard on a regular basis, so Daniel could definitely handle this. What had he even been worried about in the first place? 

“Fuuuuck, David…” Daniel sighed. Every thrust brought with it a throb of pleasure, and he was becoming more and more impatient about turning that pleasured throb into something mind-numbingly amazing. “You feel so good, baby… How about going a little harder on me, hm?”

David nodded dumbly. His thrusts lost some speed, but became sharper, harder. The heat, the tightness, it was quickly becoming too much. This wouldn’t last much longer.

Daniel moaned softly. “Yeah, just like that…” He grabbed his legs just behind the knee, pulling them in a little more. “Drop your hips, thrust straighter.”

David did so. His thrusts couldn’t go as deep at this angle, but he quickly realized that it really didn’t matter.

“OH fuck!” Daniel moaned. His left hand released his leg and slammed against the headboard behind him. A guttural moan. “ _Oohh_ , right there, Davy…! Harderharderharder-!”

David was whimpering, teetering right on the edge and trying to hold back. He slammed his cock into that spot as hard as he could, trying desperately to make Daniel finish. His thrusts were a little sloppy, but they did the trick.

They finished at nearly the same time. Daniel let out a loud, guttural moan, his body trembling and his nails digging into the headboard. The sight, the feel of him clamping down, made David cum a second later with a much more pathetic moan, spilling his seed inside Daniel.

When the waves of pleasure finally subsided, they were both left panting. Daniel’s arms flopped to the bed, and David had to pull out and let his legs down so he could just sit a moment and regain himself. They were both worn, but satisfied.

Daniel began laughing breathlessly, the sound hardly anything more than some soft wheezing. “Damn… I forgot how good prostate orgasms are…” He raised one arm and gestured for David to come closer. “Come lay with me, baby.”

David slowly shifted his sore muscles and was able to flop down beside Daniel. When his future husband immediately pulled him close, he couldn’t help a bright smile. “I did okay?”

“You did great.” Daniel rolled over and kissed his face repeatedly. “Did you like it?”

“Yeah, it was fun…” David found one of Daniel’s hands and held it. “I think I like it better the other way though…”

Daniel hummed and nuzzled his jaw. “Me too. I like making you come undone. All the noises you make and how much you’re clearly enjoying it. So, so satisfying.”

David giggled softly, “Well, I’m glad you like that…” 

Another hum. Daniel caught David’s lips and kissed them sweetly. His scent and his taste brought him more comfort than anything else ever had or ever would. 

Eventually, they climbed off the bed and took the time to get cleaned up. The lights were turned off and they settled back into bed together. It was warm. David slept on his side, practically on his stomach, and was out within a few minutes. Daniel laid close beside him, stroking his hand until he fell asleep.

Once Daniel was certain David was out for the night, he carefully slipped out of bed and threw on the first pair of boxers he found. Were these David’s? Eh, it didn’t matter. 

Silently, he left the room and headed into his study. There was still penitence to do.

### 

David awoke to the sounds of birds and the warmth of sunlight on the blankets. Daniel's chest was firm and warm against his back, and so very welcome. David hugged his fiance's arm, only to be a little surprised by an odd texture. Tiredly, he cracked open his eyes and lifted Daniel's arm.

It was wrapped in gauze, with black text scribbled all over. Most of it looked to be Latin. David could only make out a few words he knew. Scripture?

With a deep breath, he slowly rolled over to wake the other man. “Danny…” he whispered. His knuckles gently brushed his cheek.

Daniel groaned softly and hugged David closer. Soft kisses were planted on his neck. David giggled and shifted more in his arms so that he was facing Daniel. He kissed him and caressed his shoulder. “Good morning, handsome.” 

“Morning, gorgeous,” Daniel croaked. 

“Ready to start the day?”

“No.” He squeezed him tightly and kissed his jaw.

David chuckled softly. “Alright. We can lay here awhile longer. What's on your arm?”

“Scripture.”

“Why?”

“Penitence.”

“Oh, you just have to write some scripture on your arm?”

“Mhm.”

“Well, that's good.” David kissed his forehead and settled more comfortably in his arms. Daniel was already asleep again.

David dozed on and off for over an hour. It wasn't until the sunlight was creeping into his face that he finally woke and decided it was time to get up.

“Danny.” He gently shook him, his voice sweet. “Come on. Let's get up. We have a lot to do today. Max is so excited to pick out furniture and I want to look around town, meet some new people, that sort of thing…”

Daniel whined softly and hugged him tighter. 

David laughed. “Danny! Come on, baby, we gotta get up! I'm giving you a chance now, but if you don't get up I'll send Max in here to jump on the bed until you do!”

“Mmmmnnnn. You're evil.” Daniel muttured. He untangled himself from David and sat up with a dramatic groan.

David sat up with him and kissed his cheek. “That's not what you were saying last night, stud.” He climbed out of bed and snatched his boxers off the floor. 

Wait, these were Danny's-

Eh, didn't matter.

He slipped them on and headed into the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and was fixing his hair when Daniel finally stumbled in. Poor man looked tired. 

“Are you okay?” David asked worriedly.

“Mhm.” His voice was gravely, “Up late doing penitence.” He washed his face and it helped a little.

“Oh… poor baby…” David put a hand on his shoulder and leaned over, kissing his cheek. “Do you want to lay down a while longer? I can cook breakfast.”

“No, no, I'll drink some coffee and be fine soon. I'm sure Max has already started it anyway.” 

David chuckled, “I'm sure.”

They shaved together over the duel sinks, then washed their faces. David leaned on the counter to wait for Daniel to finish up. The blond brushed his teeth with a yawn and fixed his hair with a little more care than David put into his. 

Then, Daniel began removing the bandages, and a perfect morning turned into something right out of David's worst nightmare. As the gauze fell away, words became visible, angry red letters carved into Daniel's skin.

“What the _fuck_ is that?!” David shrieked, making Daniel jump.

“What?!” 

“What's all over your arm?!”

“S-scripture!” Daniel stuttered, “I told you that!”

“You didn't tell me you _cut_ yourself!”

Daniel hesitated, then huffed. “You're right, I didn't. I'm sorry. It's fine. It doesn't even hurt.” He quickly pulled the rest of the bandages off.

“It doesn't matter if it doesn't hurt! _That's_ what you had to do to yourself for penitence?! You've _mutilated_ your _arms_!” There were words all across his forearms and it hurt David's chest to look at them.

“Well, I committed a sin and had to repent. What did you expect?” Daniel calmly washed the wounds with soap and warm water. 

For a moment, David was speechless. “What did I-? Daniel, _look_ at your arms! You're _hurt_!”

“I'm fine, David!” Daniel snapped, “Don't worry about it!”

“You're not fine! I don't want to see you like this! It _hurts_!” David yelled.

Daniel's voice rose too, “ _You're_ not the one hurt, David! That's the fucking _point_! I've already agreed with Father Gabriel to be the one to take penitence for you for the next six years, so you'd _better_ just get _fucking_ used to it!”

David gasped, “You WHAT?! You didn’t even _discuss_ this with-!”

“There was no point in _discussing_!! This is _my_ decision and _my_ burden to bear, _not yours!_ ”

“Do you have _any_ idea how _guilty_ that makes me fe-!”

“SHUT UP!” Daniel roared, “Just shut the _fuck up_ and let me _do_ this for you!!”

Silence. They were both panting. There was fury in Daniel’s eyes, and sorrow in David’s.

“... Oh my God…” David whispered, “You don’t even fucking get it, do you?”

“There’s nothing to get.” Daniel snapped. He dried his arms, “What’s done is done. Go get dressed. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

David gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He shoved past Daniel as he left, absolutely fuming. 

How could Daniel do this to him?! How could he make such a huge decision without talking to him first?! How could he not see how awful this was?! 

David through on clean clothes and stormed out of the bedroom. He had to concentrate to keep himself from stomping down the stairs. At the bottom, he took a few calming breaths, doing his best to not let this get to him. 

Daniel was just being dumb. They could talk this out and it would be okay. They would be okay. They could work this out like they always did. He just needed to calm down. Max could help him calm down, he was certain. If nothing else, a nice hug would do him some good.

He walked into the living room to wake Max, but the couch was empty. His next stop was the kitchen, where he found the coffee pot on and making a fresh brew. “Max?” David called, heading into the hallway. The front door was still locked. He checked the bathroom, but it was empty. Same with the laundry room, garage, and den. 

His brows drew together with worry. Where had Max gone off to?

Oh! Right!

With a smile, David headed into the sunroom. “Max?”

Empty. The backdoor was locked. Peeking into the backyard, he found it vacant as well.

Okay. Okay, there was nothing to worry about. Max was clearly still in the house. Maybe he’d gone upstairs.

David went through the living room again, double checking the dining room and kitchen, then headed back upstairs. “Max?” He checked his son’s room, but that was as empty as it had ever been. The bathroom was next, then the study.

Nothing.

David’s blood ran cold. He tried to relax, telling himself it was nothing and Max was just- just doing whatever! He turned to go back downstairs and look, when Daniel stepped out of the bedroom. David stopped. They made eye contact.

“David…” Daniel looked at the floor shamefully, then forced himself to look back at his love. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. You were just scared, and I didn’t help. I’m sorry. I love you.”

David was thankful for the apology, but at the moment he couldn’t quite care about it. “Danny, I can’t find Max.” His voice was a bit more shaken than he’d meant for it to be.

There was confusion on Daniel’s face for a moment, then his eyes widened. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as panic gripped his chest. “ _What_?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH NO IT ALL WENT WRONG! DANIEL AND DAVID HAD A LEGIT FUCKING FIGHT AND NOW MAX IS MISSING! 
> 
> How do you feel about the penitence? Why do you think Daniel did what he did? Is David right to be angry? What do you think happened to Max? 
> 
> And feel free to leave questions about the penitence or it's rules or really anything. There is quite a bit that will be answered soon but I'd love to know what I might need to make more clear. Love you guys! See you next chapter! <3


	20. Rollercoaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter we find out what happened to Max, and we learn a little bit more about penitence. Plus, we meet a few new faces, one of which is VERY CUTE OH NOOOO
> 
> Enjoy!

Max awoke when his phone chimed. Tiredly, he picked it up and squinted at the screen. A text from Neil. God, it sucked that his friends were three hours ahead of him. With a little groan, he sat up. He sent a quick reply, then got up. 

The living room was warm and well-lit from the sunlight coming in through the large window. He didn’t recall falling asleep here, but he was positive David and Daniel must have tucked him in. With no one else around, he didn’t bother suppressing his smile. It felt incredible to have parents who cared about him.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, he headed into the kitchen. Using a barstool, he was able to get onto the counter and find the coffee. In no time, he had it brewing. 

Hell yeah.

He hopped down on the floor and wandered back into the living room, then decided to head into the sunroom. He pulled some curtains open, letting lots of light into the room. He stood at one of the windows, staring out into the backyard. It put another little smile on his face. Was this what it felt like to be happy? To feel safe and content? Fucking awesome.

He stood for a while, just staring out, before eventually deciding he’d like to bother his parents. It was a strange feeling, wanting to be near the two adults. He used to crave attention from his birth parents, but eventually avoiding them became less painful. Now, he was right back to the first stage. He liked the attention they gave him. He liked the praise and attentiveness and affection and respect they showed him. He liked them.

With a hop in his step, he trotted through the living room and headed upstairs. Their door was still shut, so they might have still been asleep. Quietly, he leaned against the door to try to hear whether or not they were up. Either way though, he was going in there.

Voices. They were loud, frantic. It sounded like… a fight… 

_“You WHAT?!”_ David was yelling, furious, _“You didn’t even **discuss** this with-!”_

_“There was no point in **discussing**!! This is **my** decision and **my** burden to bear, **not yours**!” _ Daniel sounded equally angry.

_“Do you have **any** idea how **guilty** that makes me fe-!”_

_“SHUT UP!”_ Daniel roared, _“Just shut the **fuck up** and let me **do** this for you!!”_

Silence.

Max stepped away from the door. His stomach was in knots and his chest hurt and his throat felt so tight. He slapped his hands over his mouth to prevent something from falling out, but he didn’t know if that something was a scream or vomit or a sob or what. 

This couldn’t be happening… This wasn’t right… They never fought… Not like this… 

The next thing he knew, he was running down the stairs. He snagged Mr. Honeynuts off the couch and hugged him. The desire to get away, hide, was overwhelming. An instinctual reaction to a situation he'd come to know as dangerous, possibly even deadly. He didn’t know the house well, but he already knew the perfect hiding spot. He’d used it a hundred times in the house he used to live in. It would work equally as well in this one.

Laundry room. The washer and dryer were pretty new, not like the ones he’d grown up with, but they would do. He yanked the dryer door open and climbed in. Sometimes, it was nice being small. He pulled the door almost closed, but figured it might be best not to let it latch. These new things might lock or something, and he did _not_ want to be trapped in here. Besides, there needed to be some air flow. Who knew how long he’d be hiding here.

Feeling overwhelmed, Max hugged his bear tightly and curled up, letting tears flow. He felt stupid for being so upset over them fighting, but… he’d had so much hope for them. He’d wanted so _badly_ to be part of a happy little family. They’d seemed like the perfect couple. They’d seemed like they’d never put him through this.

But, things never did work out for him, did they? Life had always been shitty and it always would be and that was that. He shouldn’t have gotten his hopes up. He was stupid. _Stupid stupid stupid-_

_“Max?”_ David called for him.

Max sucked in a quick breath, holding it, trying not to sob. His ears picked up David’s footsteps as he searched the house. Why? Why was he looking for him? Did he want to drag him into this shit too? Did he want to take his anger out on him? Maybe they’d decided they didn’t want a kid here, and they were going to get rid of him… 

_“Max?”_ More distant this time. Max let out a few little whimpers.

Eventually, David went back upstairs, presumably to continue the search. Max cried louder, hugged Mr. Honeynuts tighter, fell deeper into despair. Why was this happening? What the Hell were they planning?

Minutes later, he could hear them again.

_“I’ve looked **everywhere**! All the doors are still locked but I can’t **find** him-!”_ David’s voice was bordering on hysterical.

_“It’s okay! It’s okay! Calm down, we’ll find him…”_ Daniel’s voice faded into muffles. What was he saying? What was going to happen to him?!

Footsteps hurrying down the stairs. _“MAX!”_ Daniel yelled loud enough to be heard through the entire house. 

Max’s heart skipped a beat, then it was pounding. He tried to even out his breathing so he wouldn’t be heard. He could already picture Daniel yanking the door open and dragging him out by his hair. Would they kill him here, or make him into some kind of sacrifice at the church? OH FUCK what if that’s all they wanted him for in the first place?! What if they’d lied about taking care of him and just wanted to kill him for their God from the very beginning?!

Daniel was tearing through the house, opening every door and cabinet and anything else that could conceivably hide someone. More footsteps down the stairs. 

_“He’s nowhere up there. Any luck?”_ David was breathless, his words rushed.

_"No. Did you check the garage?”_ Daniel’s words were equally quick.

_“Only kind of.”_

_“He’s not in the kitchen or living room. I’ll check the garage.”_

_“I’ll start in the den.”_

Soon enough, Daniel was storming through the laundry room, making Max suck in a breath and hold it. Daniel entered the garage and yelled his name again. Max could hear him looking through everything. Heard the car doors and trunk open, then eventually all shut. Daniel entered the laundry room again and slammed the door, locking it. 

Then, he began searching the laundry room. Daniel yanked open cabinets and the little pantry. Just when it seemed like he might leave, there was a sudden silence.

Max realized he was almost certainly doomed.

The door was yanked open. Daniel was kneeling on the other side. Max didn’t scream. A dull, aching acceptance washed over him. He couldn’t get away. He couldn’t fight two grown men.

Daniel swept him out and held him tightly. “David!” he yelled as he stood, “I found him!” Daniel’s voice was trembling.

They left the laundry room and went into the living room. David came rushing in a second later, “Oh, thank God! Where was he?!”

“In the dryer.”

“What?!” 

“Grab a blanket. He’s shaking.”

David snatched a quilt off the couch. Without having to discuss it, David draped the blanket over Max’s shoulders, then they gently shifted Max into his arms and he wrapped it securely around him. David held him tightly and peppered kisses through his hair. Daniel kissed his forehead and cheeks a few times, then stepped away, “Be right back.”

Max hugged his bear. There were no more tears and his trembling slowly subsided. David rocked him, doing a slow waltz through the living room to comfort him. He hummed a soft tune as he moved. Moments later, his dance came to a stop when Daniel returned. 

Daniel kissed Max’s forehead, then pressed a cool cloth against it. It was tied in the back to keep it in place. His hands ran through Max’s hair gently, soothingly, as he whispered, “What happened, Max? It’s okay now.”

“Did you have a nightmare?” David whispered, “Did someone try to get into the house? What happened, baby…” He squeezed Max a little tighter. The way his voice wavered suggested he was on the verge of tears.

Max started sobbing first. He felt stupid for ever having been afraid. Shit, David had already risked his life for him, and Daniel was far too affectionate to not care. Of course they wouldn’t hurt him. Of course they’d be worried about him. He buried his face in his bear. “You were fighting… and I didn't… I didn't like it…” 

David and Daniel looked at one another, expressions a mix of horror and regret. “Max, I'm _so_ sorry!” David apologized sincerely.

“That was my fault, Max, and I'm so very sorry. It's okay though, David and I worked it out. Everything is fine now.” Daniel reassured gently, still stroking his hair.

David knew that was bs. They hadn't worked it out at all. But, he knew Daniel was trying to comfort Max. They'd work it out later, in private. For now, Max was the main concern. “It won’t happen again, buddy. I promise.”

Max sniffled but didn’t lift his head.

“Why were you so upset by it that you hid?” Daniel asked. “I know you know we were searching everywhere for you. It was a pretty nasty argument, yes, but it was between us. There was no reason to hide from us…”

Max didn’t reply. He pressed his face deeper into his bear and hugged it as tight as he could.

Daniel and David looked at one another briefly. The same thought occurred to them.

“Your parents didn’t always ignore you, did they.” Daniel said softly.

Max gritted his teeth. “Mom did…” his voice wavered, “but dad… when he got angry…” He couldn’t say anymore, and they didn’t make him. He was peppered with kisses again and sweet words of affection and praise and sorrow for him. Promises to protect and care for him no matter what. 

These two were different, weren’t they? He could really count on them, couldn’t he? He could trust them to keep their word and never hurt him. They wouldn’t strike him after an argument, knowing it was better to take your rage out on a child rather than a partner, since other adults never believed kids anyway, or just believed the parents when they said the kid had gotten in a fight or was clumsy… Daniel and David wouldn’t do that to him. The past was the past, the present was good, and the future was looking bright again.

They all sat down on the couch together, Max a snug lump spread across his fathers’ laps. The mood eventually shifted, turning light-hearted as David recalled dumb things he'd done as a child, many of which had been dangerous, and very few he’d ever confessed to his parents. The 'I can _totally_ jump my bike over the shed from the barn, and this can't _possibly_ go wrong’ tale was Max's personal favorite.

Soon, he was out of the blanket and cold cloth and was whisked off to the kitchen. He sat on the bar and watched his parents cook. David worked on scrambled eggs and some pancakes at the same time, while Daniel was managing a pan of bacon. When it popped and splashed his arms with grease, he hardly paid any mind.

Max eyed the weird bandages on his arm. He couldn't read the writing scribbled all over them. “Dad? What's on your arms?”

Both men tensed. David didn't turn away from his cooking. Daniel offered Max a weak smile. “Well… it's what David and I were fighting about…”

“What is it?”

“It's my penitence… for having a family when I'm not supposed to…” His smile fell. “I suppose now is as good a time as any…” He took a deep breath as he took the bacon off the burner. “Alright. I'm sure you understand that there are rules here, and there are punishments for breaking those rules. The punishments vary depending on severity, like they do anywhere. Community service is a common punishment, or repayment in the case of property damage. Some punishments do involve… harm or pain of some kind. That's what this is.” He held out his arms, “This is one of the more severe punishments. It's meant to be noticeable and last a number of days. We have these… cutters. Like, cookie cutters, but sharper and they spell out words. We're meant to press them into our skin until the word is cut into our flesh. We do several verses based around why we're doing the penitence. Then, we clean up, bandage up, and write what verses we did on the bandages. This way, everyone can see you broke a rule and are doing penitence for it. When it heals it won't leave a scar, and we're considered forgiven. So, it's not really a big deal. It's just something we do.”

David and Max were silent. David took the eggs off the stove and moved pancakes to plates. Max hugged himself, a horrified look on his face. “You… cut yourself….?”

“Well- I mean it would really be more like… getting a tattoo. It's not that bad.”

“Do I have to do it…?”

“No! No…” Daniel reassured, “This type of penitence is rare. Children under 16 cannot perform it, and most adults will never have to. Like I said, community service or repayment or something along those lines is much more common.”

“So… will David have to?”

Daniel smiled. “No, not for at least six years anyway. Until you turn 16, I'll be doing the penitence for David if it ever comes to that.”

Silence. Max glanced at David. He was suddenly very aware of what, exactly, that argument had been about.

David didn't look up from the plates he was adding eggs to. His voice was gentle but tense and even. “That's enough of that topic, I think… Let's fix our plates and eat.”

Daniel's smile fell. “Oh… I'm sorry, David. I thought maybe an explanation would help you understand-”

“Danny.” David cut him off, “Let's talk about it later. We're still getting furniture today, right? Why don't we discuss what Max will get for his room?”

Daniel nodded almost timidly. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

David smiled and stepped over to him. “Thanks.” He kissed Daniel's lips, then his cheek. With two plates in his hands, he turned to Max and nodded toward the dining room. “Come on. I already fixed our plates.” He bumped Daniel with his hips, giving him a playful smirk. “You have to fix your own cuz you're in trouble.”

Daniel melted. He smiled softly and grabbed David's hips. They kissed, gentle and affectionate. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” David chuckled.

Max climbed down and followed David into the dining room, silently relieved that the tension had been broken.

### 

The first furniture shop they stepped into smelled of Cedar and was all hand-carved wood. There was a variety of unique pieces that would look fantastic in nearly any home. This store was run by a middle-aged man with tattoos; Mr. Ramsey. Mrs. Ramsey did all the wood carving. 

They picked up a shelf and two end tables from there, then popped into a different shop for pieces with drawers and a bed. Daniel spotted a bed header and footer made of wooden bars, very reminiscent of the metal ones from the hotel… He bought those too. All the items would be moved to his home later that afternoon.

Afterwards, Daniel drove them around town, showing them main streets and residential areas and explaining a bit about the town. Everyone had to have a job of some kind, whether just general office sort of work or manual labor or performing a skill. Those who could create things (such as art or clothes or things of that nature) could sell them outside to bring in revenue. Daniel usually did so in the off-season when he wasn’t teaching Latin at the Church. His woodwork was sold in shops in town and in fairs outside, though he didn’t usually sell them himself, but rather let the Ramsey’s sell for him. 

Their last stop on the tour was, surprisingly, the beach. The town bordered the ocean on one side, and had a nice beach area. David was absolutely overjoyed. Finally, he could say he’d seen the ocean on both coasts! He couldn’t wait to go swimming!

After that stop, Daniel drove them back to the center of town. “How about we stop by the school and meet some teachers and classmates?” he suggested, “That’ll make Max’s first day easier, I think.”

“Oh, absolutely!” David replied enthusiastically, “I’d love to know who’ll be teaching him!”

Max sighed and rolled his eyes. Whatever.

The school was right beside the church, which was a tall, grand cathedral that put every other building to shame. No surprise there. The school was smaller and more ordinary, but it looked well-maintained and funded. There was a nice playground, a few buildings for classes, and a nice library right across the street. 

They parked and climbed out. It was lunch time, so kids were out playing and the teachers were keeping an eye on them. Daniel walked them up to the fence and led them through the gate into the playground. There were lots of large pieces of equipment to climb on or slide down or play in. Two swingsets with at least four swings each, monkey bars, tubes, carousels, and more. David was _very_ happy with it. This would be perfect for Max!

“Paula!” Daniel called out and waved someone over. A woman in her mid-thirties smiled and trotted over. She was tall and thin with chestnut-colored skin and beautiful, dark-brown hair that fell just past her shoulders. She was wearing white robes, similar to the ones Father Gabriel had been wearing. “Daniel! _There_ you are! I was _wondering_ when I’d get to see you!”

Daniel was barely containing his excitement when she joined them. “Paula! I want you to meet my family!” He grabbed David’s hand. “This is David! We’re getting married! And this is our son, Max! Wait- Father Gabriel did let you know about that, right?”

She glanced between them all, then smiled and nodded at Daniel, “Yes, he messaged everyone in the High Order about it last night. I think the twins are being a _little_ huffy about it, but you know how they are. Adam seems very happy for you, and so am I!” She gave David a little bow, “It’s wonderful to meet you! I hope you and Danny take good care of each other, and your _adorable_ little boy! You’re a cute one, aren’t ya?” She cooed at Max.

Max glared at her. 

David didn’t really like that she’d called Daniel ‘Danny’ but he supposed he couldn’t complain. Overall, she was clearly very nice! “He’s a little grumpy,” he patted Max’s head, “Are you going to be his teacher this year?”

“Yes!” Paula perked up, “My age bracket is ten to thirteen, so he’ll be in my class. I promise I’ll take wonderful care of him!”

“If you can handle him,” Daniel joked, “Max is very smart, and he always speaks his mind. But I’m sure he’ll be good. Right, pal?”

Max was still frowning. “Depends. Are you gonna be this fucking chipper all the time or-”

“Max!” David scolded, “Language! And be nice!”

“Aw, that’s okay!” Paula laughed, “I like ‘em a little feisty! Makes class more interesting! I think it’s important to be able to discuss feelings honestly and openly, even if they’re not positive feelings. It helps us grow and mature emotionally. But, no cursing in my class!” She wagged her finger at Max.

Max scowled.

David was impressed, “Wow, you sound like a wonderful teacher! I’m so excited to see how Max does in your class!”

“Aw, thank you! You’re too kind. Max, would you like to go meet your classmates?” She gestured over her shoulder to the playground. “I can call my class over, and you can play with them for a while.”

“No-”

“He’d love to!” Daniel interrupted, “David and I would love to chat with you about the curriculum anyway, and what sort of supplies we’ll need to get.”

“Oh, perfect! I have a packet with all of that in it in my office. Hold on-” She turned and called out for Class 9. Several students stopped what they were doing and wandered up to her, some almost hesitantly. She smiled at them and gestured to Max. “This is your new classmate! Do you want to introduce yourself, sweetheart?”

“No.”

David ruffled his hair. “This is Maxwell! Please call him Max. He’s very smart but kind of mean.”

Max grinned. “Nice. I appreciate the honesty.” He was gently ushered forward to meet the awaiting group of students, then the adults left. He was left alone with kids he didn’t know and didn’t like.

Several shrugged and walked off. A few stuck around and introduced themselves, but when he showed them little interest they too left. Then three were left, and the rollercoaster of good and bad he’d been on all day went back to bad.

A tall boy stepped up to him with a smile. “Hi! I’m Preston Goodplay! I moved here with my Gram Gram a month ago! I’m so relieved to not be the only new kid around now!” His voice was a bit loud and his motions exaggerated.

Max tried to think of something clever to say. “Goodplay, huh? That’s a good-name! Hahaha-ha…” He looked at the ground in horror. Oh, God, that had been so lame… 

Preston quirked a brow, “Uh, thanks, I think. I like your name too?”

Max couldn’t reply. 

God. Damnit.

No one had any right to be that cute. This was bullshit! He couldn’t have a class with this kid! He’d act like a dumbass and embarrass himself the whole time! FUCK.

The other two introduced themselves. Nurf, a big guy with red hair and an angry face. A bully-type, potentially. Max made a mental note of that. Wanda was the last. A girl his age with bright blonde hair up in pigtails. There was a bit of brunette in her bangs. She was cheerful and sweet. 

Nurf eventually left too, presumably to give someone a wedgie, which left Max with Pigtails and Hot Boy.

“So Daniel is your dad now?” Wanda asked with a tilt of her head.

“Yeah, him and David. They’re pretty cool.”

“Oh, good. Daniel hangs out with my brothers a lot. They’re in the High Order too. They’re not very nice though….”

“Oh. That sucks…”

“It’s okay. I live with my mom and dad anyways-” Some kids called her name and Wanda glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, I have to go. I’ll talk to you in class, okay?” She cast him one last smile, then took off.

That left him and the Hot Boy.

Oh no.

Preston smiled at him, his amber eyes aglow. “So, you and David are new then? And Daniel isn’t? So where’re you from then?”

“Uhh…” Max tried again to think of something clever. Come on! He was always so good at this! “Wh-whatever state puts U and I together.” Finger guns.

FUCK THAT WAS SO LAME.

Preston was confused briefly, clearly trying to decipher whatever that meant. Hesitantly he asked, “Louisiana…?”

Max’s shoulders slumped and he sighed. God, he was so bad at flirting. “What do you like to do for fun?” Maybe casual conversation would work better.

Preston perked up again, his eyes shining. “I love theater! I watch musicals all the time! I want to go see plays but my Gram Gram isn’t supposed to drive and I can’t get the tickets on my own. But, one day, I’m going to be writing the plays! I’ll be on Broadway! ‘Preston Goodplay Presents: Heathers!’ but with jazz and classical music mixed! It’ll be huge!”

Max found that sort of lame, but he was excited to hear something he knew. “Oh, you like Heathers? I saw that one on Broadway with my dads.”

“YOU DID?!” Preston was suddenly leaning so close. “What was it like?! Tell me all about it!!”

“Uuhhh, I don’t think we have time, but… we have the full soundtrack… Maybe you wanna come over some time and we can listen to it and I’ll tell you about it?”

Preston gasped in excitement, “YES! I’D LOVE THAT! I’ve never seen the new version or new soundtrack! That would be amazing!”

Max grinned, “Yeah? C-cool. Where do you live? I’m sure my dad would be cool with picking you up.”

“House 209 in section B! It’s right off Leaflet drive. There’s no class tomorrow, so I can hang out all day!”

“Cool, cool… Can I get your number so we can figure out a time?” He pulled his cellphone out.

“I don’t have a cellphone, but we have a landline! Here-” he snatched the phone out of Max’s hand and added his number. “You can’t call after 9pm or before 6am, but anytime between that is fine. My Gram Gram doesn’t usually hear the phone so I’ll probably answer. This is so exciting!” He gave Max his phone back. “When you call the first time, I’ll have you give me your number then so I can write it down.”

“Okay, cool, coolcoolcool.” Speaking of cool, Max was trying to remain it. This was going so well, he didn’t want to ruin it!

Preston chuckled. “So, what about you? What do you like?”

“Uuuuhhhhhhhh…” Max blanked. What did he like? “Uh, video games… and sewing.”

“You like to sew? Do you ever make clothes?”

“Not anything from scratch or whatever… I did make this hoodie though, from two hoodies my dads bought me.”

“I love it! You’re so good! We should make some clothes together sometime too! I love designing outfits but I’m not great at putting them together.”

“Okay, sure. That’d be awesome.” He tried to contain his enthusiasm, but he was smiling.

“Great! I’ll bring some fabric-”

The bell rang. Students began walking back into the school house.

Preston’s smile fell. “Oh, I gotta go. Call me tonight though!”

Just as Preston was heading to the door, Max summoned some courage and called out to him. “Wait!”

Preston stopped and turned around, looking at him expectantly.

“Uh…” Shit. “What’s your favorite color?” SHIT.

Preston blinked, then smiled. “Teal! Like your eyes!”

“Oh.” Max said dumbly. “Thanks.”

Preston chuckled. “See ya later, Max!” 

“See ya later, Preston…” Max watched Hot Boy trot back into the school. There were butterflies in his stomach and his heart was in his throat. Was this what a crush felt like? It felt… nice. He started giggling. This felt awesome!

A few minutes later, David and Daniel returned and found Max sitting on a swing. Daniel scooped him up and they headed to the car. Daniel had a folder in his hands, which he handed to Max when they got in the car. “That’s what you’re going to be learning, and those are the supplies you’ll need. Want to grab lunch and go to the store?”

“Yeah…” Max nodded slowly, “Is there like… a fabric store around here too?”

“Sure is. You want some sewing supplies or something?”

“Yeah.”

“We can certainly do that, and I know just the place!”

### 

They ate at a little diner in town, where the meals were of course home-cooked. Afterwards, they stopped into a fabric store. There was a huge selection of fabrics and colors and supplies. Daniel took them to the front, where they met a blonde woman running it. Jen. Daniel’s cousin. Max found her a little eerie, but probably no more than Daniel could be.

They bought plenty of supplies, then drove to a different store for school supplies. When that was done, they headed home to meet the movers.

By that evening, everything was in place. Max had a nice bedroom full of items he’d picked out himself. He got the bunk bed he wanted too. A bed on top and a desk underneath, with some shelves in the stairs. Awesome! He sat down in his room and put his school supplies together and in his new backpack. Black and teal. He hoped Preston would compliment it. He organized his new sewing supplies next, tucking them all neatly on his shelf.

When his room was all settled, he headed downstairs. The house sounded empty. He looked around, but couldn’t find his parents, at least not at first. He finally spotted them in the backyard, standing under the tree. They were talking. David was making grand gestures. Daniel’s gestures were more reserved.

Max headed outside. From the porch, he could hear them.

“I think we could fit a porch all the way around, and maybe like a second story.” David said.

“I agree on the porch, but what’s the point of the second story?” Daniel questioned.

“It’s _cool_. It could be an observatory or something.”

“Okay, I guess that’s neat. But I still don’t think round arches are the way to go. There should be doors.”

“There are doors that are circular on top.”

“But it will clash with the rail around the porch. We should stick with squares.”

“But we could put a little roof with those curved tiles on it, then the door would be fine and the rails wouldn’t clash anyway.”

“Are we honestly going to shingle a treehouse?”

“Yes. It’ll last longer.”

“How long do we need it to last though? Max won’t be a child forever.”

“I thought we were going to adopt more kids though? And we might have grandkids.”

Max approached and stood beside them. “What’s going on?”

They looked down at him. David smiled brightly and swept Max off his feet. “Max! Tell Danny how much you want a treehouse!” He held him out to speak to Daniel face-to-face.

Max didn’t _really_ care about the- no fuck it who was he kidding. “I really want a treehouse.”

“And you want one with two stories and round doors, right?” David continued.

Daniel frowned, “Don’t try to talk him into things he might not like. He clearly wants square doors.”

“Uh, _no-_ ”

Max cut them off. “Can I just draw what kind of treehouse I want?”

They paused, looking at one another, then shrugged. “Yeah, sure.”

“Cool. Can I have a friend over tomorrow?”

David gasped and hugged him, “You made a friend already! Of course they can come over!”

“Who’s your friend?” Daniel asked with a smile.

“Preston. Can we pick him up? I know where he lives.”

“Sure!” Daniel ruffled his hair. “We’d love to have him over!”

“Cool…. Thanks…” Max smiled softly. Damn, he had great parents.

### 

After hanging up the phone, Max was again left with butterflies in his stomach. Preston was so enthusiastic and excitable and cute and witty and… _sigh._ Max smiled stupidly and let out a little giggle.

His parents noticed.

David was instantly leaning over the back of the couch, grinning a little too wide. “Maaa-aaaxxx. Do you have a cruuuush?”

“NO!” Max snapped.

Then, Daniel was leaning over it too, with an equally suspicious grin. “Are you sure? You seem to like your new ‘friend’ an awful lot.”

“Is he cuuuuute?”

“I FUCKING HATE BOTH OF YOU!”

“Daawwww.” David pinched Max’s cheeks. “Someone’s embarrased about his cruuuu-uuush!”

“I’LL KILL YOU!”

“Max, that’s no way to speak to your parents. Does your boyfriend know you speak like that?”

“EAT A DICK!”

David laughed and picked Max up for the millionth time that day. “You’re so cute. We love picking on you.” He pecked him on the cheek.

Daniel leaned in and kissed his other cheek. “We won’t pick on you when he’s over though, we promise.”

“Good!” Max huffed and crossed his arms.

They merely chuckled at him. He was carried into the kitchen and sat at the bar again. He kept up his pout for a while, but eventually had to drop it. Instead, he smiled softly, watching his dads work together to make dinner.

This was the good life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Everything is good again, and nothing could go wrong! :D >:D >:3
> 
> Man, lots happened this chapter, huh? Poor Max is terrified of heated arguments, it turns out. And did you guys some special guest stars working in town? ;)
> 
> How do you feel about Paula? She certainly seems nice, doesn't she? And will awkward Max be able to tell Preston he likes him or will he fuck this up royally? Next chapter we get to meet more new faces, plus we might get to learn a few things about Daniel, so stay tuned for that! And pray that next chapter doesn't end with an awful cliffhanger too >:3


	21. Keep Your Friends Close, and Your Enemies Closer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I want to address something that's kind of been an issue since the beginning, but it seems like it's becoming more frequent lately, and since my mental health is always fluctuating it's been getting to me more recently. 
> 
> You don't need to tell me what little things you didn't like, or what sections you skipped, or what ships you don't ship, or whatever... If you don't like something, keep it to yourself, or quit reading if it's a big enough dislike. I don't mind constructive criticism, or questions, or things of that nature, but just flat out telling me you didn't like something is... kinda rude and, frankly, it ends up making it more difficult to write. There's no point in it... the chapters you read are already written. The thing you didn't like, someone else probably loves, so I'm not changing anything. 
> 
> Please, stop telling me things you didn't like. It's so pointless. Instead, tell me a specific thing you LIKED. That sort of stuff helps. It gives me a better understanding of what others enjoy, helps direct the flow of the fanfic, and gives me fresh ideas. If you want a good story, THAT'S the kind of feedback I need.
> 
> Anyway... This chapter is a tad longer than usual and introduces several new characters, as well as establishing some MaxPres. There is some self-hard mentioned near the end of the first section.

Max fell asleep on the couch, curled up between his parents. David shut off the television and scooped his little boy up into his arms. Daniel checked the locks and shut off the lights before following his husband upstairs. 

They tucked Max into bed and shut his door, then headed into their room for the night. David started the shower and undressed, while Daniel was removing his bandages. 

“I'm glad Max has made a friend so quickly,” Daniel said, “That will make school a little easier. I'm sure he'll have lots of friends by the end of the year.”

“I hope so. He needs friends. I worry about him.” David stepped into the shower and let the warm water run through his hair and down his back. 

Had they done the right thing encouraging Max to explore his violent urges? He was so young… Was exposing him to that violence and bloodshed okay, or would it hinder his development? Max seemed okay. He seemed unbothered and like he was okay living a normal life for a while. 

Still, that reaction to the fight had David concerned about some choices they'd made. Hopefully, things would stabilize soon. They could be a family. They would be okay.

Daniel stepped into the shower behind him. His arms slipped around David's waist and hugged him. He pressed kisses to the freckles on David's back. “He'll be okay. He's a smart and resilient kid. We'll take good care of him, and he'll flourish soon. I'm sure of it.” 

David smiled softly. “I hope so. He deserves a good life.”

“Mhm.” Daniel resumed his kisses, then finished with a sloppy one on David's cheek, making him giggle. 

They washed off in a comfortable silence. David cringed when he saw Daniel's arms. He tried to keep his eyes off them. 

When they climbed out and dried, David left the bathroom as Daniel redid his ointment and bandages. David pulled boxers out of a drawer, but paused when he saw they were his own. After a slight pause, he put them back and found a pair of Daniel's. He slipped those on, then found one of Daniel's shirts to wear. He buried his face in it and breathed deeply. It smelled like Danny.

Finally, he climbed into bed. Within a few minutes Daniel joined him. A bandaged arm slipped around him and lips pressed against his neck. Daniel wasn't wearing underwear. His dick nudged between David's ass cheeks. 

David shrugged him off. “Not tonight. I'm not in the mood.”

Daniel sat up. There was a beat of silence before he said in a slightly miffed tone, “David, you're _always_ in the mood. Quit teasing.”

“Fuck off, Danny. Not tonight,” David snapped.

Daniel huffed and crossed his arms. “Withholding sex isn't going to change what I've already done.”

David went rigid. “Withholding-” He suddenly sat up, fury in his eyes. “You think I'm fucking _withholding sex_ because- because-”

Daniel had only a moment to be frightened, then he just felt guilty and confused when David broke down into sobs.

“God you just don't get it! I don't know how to make you understand!” David's shoulders quaked and his body curled up.

“I'm sorry, David! I'm sorry… I won't ask for sex again, I'm sorry.” Daniel scooted closer and put his hands on David's shoulders. 

David shrugged his hands off and quickly turned, giving him a furious look, “You think this is about sex?!”

Daniel threw his hands up in front of him in defence, “No! I'm sorry!”

“It's about your _arms_!”

“I know! I just- I don't understand why you're so upset, David… I did this for you… to protect you… I _love_ you.” The look in his eyes said he meant every word, and that was perhaps the worst part.

“You don't _get it_ , Danny!” David lamented, shoving him, “I don't _need_ you to _protect_ me! I _need_ you to _talk_ to me! I thought we were _partners_! Soulmates! I thought we did _everything_ together! Shared all our experiences! Can't you see that you hurting hurts me?!”

Daniel hesitated, his confusion evident. “But- I just want what's best for you. I just want to keep you safe. I can take this pain, it's really not a big deal. I don't want you to have to bear it.”

“Danny…! Danny…” David broke down and had to pause to compose himself. “Danny… Listen to yourself… Listen to me… Remember when I got this?” He gestured to his face, indicating the scar, “It wasn't your fault, but do you remember how the guilt ate at you? How you broke down because you couldn't _stand_ it, and you could barely take seeing me wounded?” 

Daniel's expression became pained and he nodded.

“That's how I feel right now, Daniel!” David pressed his hands against his chest, trying to convey the pain in his heart. “You're hurt and it _is_ my fault! Every time _I_ screw up, _you_ have to mutilate your arms! Don't you understand how _guilty_ that makes me feel? What a nightmare it is to know that every mistake is going to cause the man I love to be physically harmed?! I can't _stand_ it, Danny! It's going to _kill_ me! Please, please, I _need_ you to understand why I'm not okay with this! You're not _protecting_ me from anything! This hurt is far worse than cutting up my arms would ever be!” He kept one hand over his heart, and put the other over Daniel's, “Please… I would never in a million years want this for you… I don't want you to take pain for me… I love you so much, Danny… Please…”

Daniel stared through him, his mind running a hundred different directions. The gears were turning in his head, and David was relieved for at least that. 

They sat in silence for several seconds. Daniel's expression of realization slowly turned to wide-eyed horror. David cupped his cheek, speaking softly. “What is it, baby? What're you thinking? What're you feeling? Talk to me, like we always used to.”

Daniel looked down at his arms. “David I fucked up.” His voice was trembling, tone grim.

David let out a sob of relief. He threw his arms around Daniel and hugged him tightly. “I forgive you, Danny! I love you so much! I just needed you to understand…”

Daniel embraced him, burying his face in his neck. “I’m so sorry, David!”

“Sshhh,” David rocked him, “We’re okay now. We’re okay. I forgive you, I swear I do. I love you.”

“I’m sorry… ! I’m sorry…. ! Please don’t leave me… !”

“It’s okay, it’s okay… I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere…” The sound of Daniel’s voice, scared and shaken, broke David’s heart. 

Daniel took deep breaths and his trembling slowly subsided. “Okay,” he eventually breathed, “I’m okay… I’m calm…” He sat up and let out a slow breath. “I’m good now… I’m sorry that- that I get like that. It’s not really fair to you.”

“It’s okay!” David smiled and grabbed his hands, “I understand. You’ve be so alone and so starved of love your whole life, I understand that the thought of going back to that… would break you down. Those breakdowns don’t bother me, and they never will. I’ll always be right here, Danny. Right beside you. I’m never going anywhere.”

Daniel smiled tiredly, “Thank you, David. I’m sorry for getting so angry with you. I shouldn’t try to be your knight in shining armor. I should just be your husband. I’ll take care of you, and you’ll take care of me, and we’ll be okay as long as we do everything together.”

“ _Exactly_.” David squeezed his hands, “Everything together….” Brief hesitation. “That’s why… I want to do the penitence with you.”

Daniel’s smile fell. “But- No, you don’t have to! I already have, so there’s no sense in you doing it too!”

“Why not?” David kept his tone gentle, “We do everything together. I broke a rule too by being with you. I don’t want you taking my penitence. I want to take it with you.”

“But- but you said you hated it…”

“I do, but… but I understand that it’s part of your religion and your beliefs, and I want to share those with you too. I have to convert, don’t I? I’m ready to, I want to, so I want to do what I’m supposed to. I want to do this with you, Daniel.” He squeezed his hands more firmly. “Please. Let me do this with you. Let me shoulder this burden with you.”

Daniel's eyes searched David's face, his expression contemplative. Finally, he cupped David's cheek and smiled softly. “Okay. We'll share this penitence. Let's go to the study. I'll walk you through it.” He climbed out of bed and put on boxers.

David smiled and followed his future husband. He was nervous, knowing this was going to be painful, but he was eager to experience it alongside his partner. This was a chance for more insight into this religion and their beliefs and Daniel's life. He wanted this, no matter the cost.

They entered the study and Daniel locked the door behind them. He showed David a locked chest beside the desk. The key was hidden in one of the desk drawers. Daniel opened the chest.

Inside was a thick white blanket, rolled up and tied like a scroll. Beside it was a first-aid kit, and the rest of the chest was filled with cases of various sizes. Daniel began pulling them out. Each one had different words or letters engraved on the outside. Upon opening them, those same engravings were inside in the form of metal brandings. Daniel carefully removed one and showed it to David.

'rogamus’ was in cursive letters made of sharp metal. There was a stick on the back to hold while pressing the word into skin. David's heart was pounding as he held it in his hand. It was heavier than he expected.

Daniel produced a book from the chest. It was old but well cared for. He flipped it open to a random page. Latin text covered the pages. “First you need to pick some verses that relate to your penitence. I can show you the ones I picked, since you're not familiar with this and can't read Latin. Are you sure you're still okay with this?”

David nodded. “Yes. I want to do this with you.”

“Okay…” Daniel took a breath and let it out slowly. 

They removed cases and words and letters and set them aside. Daniel got the blanket and laid it out on the floor. It had blood stains on it. They sat in the middle of it with the cases around them. Daniel picked out phrases and explained them to David. Together, they decided on what verses David would bear. 

Then, it was time to start. Daniel rubbed an ointment on David's arms, explaining it would help with pain and healing. They kissed. “You ready?” Daniel asked one more time.

David nodded. “Yes.” Yes, he was ready for this. He could do this. 

The first word pierced his skin and he was a surprised at the amount of pain. He hissed as blood beaded up and clung to the metal. Daniel removed the metal and cleaned it off, then set it aside. They continued like this for half an hour, until there were Latin phrases carved into both of David's arms. They stung and the blood dripped down onto the blanket.

Lovingly, Daniel cleaned his arms with an alcohol pad, then wrapped it with bandages. They kissed again. Daniel squeezed David's hands. “How are you feeling?”

“Good.” David smiled softly. “Hurts, but it was worth it. I'm happy I get to share this with you.”

They cleaned up the area and headed back to bed. David settled in on his side, being careful about how he rested his arms. Daniel pulled him against his chest and kissed the back of his neck. He whispered softly, “Still okay?”

“Mhm.” David hummed. He held one of Daniel’s arms against his chest and laced their fingers. “Just tired. I love you so much, Danny.”

“I love you too, baby. More than you’ll ever know.”

### 

Daniel was roused too early. The sun wasn’t even up yet. He felt a certain tiny someone shuffling around by his legs. Without giving it much thought, he untangled himself from David and reached down. He caught Max’s night shirt and pulled him up. The boy made no fuss as he was tucked in between his parents. The movement roused David enough to make him roll over. They all settled back in together. Max and David were asleep again in seconds. Daniel gazed tiredly down at them for a while.

His perfect family. One he’d wanted for so long. He was so relieved he hadn’t killed himself like he’d wanted to not all that long ago… Almost five years on the dot, actually. Until he’d learned about his soulmate. Some said it wasn’t a good idea to live for another person, since people were fleeting and unpredictable, but he had two people to live for now and that was more than he could have hoped for. His soulmate and their son. Life couldn’t get better than this.

They snoozed for a few more hours, until Max started getting restless and complained of hunger pains. He fussed until his dads got out of bed. They dressed and redid their bandages together. Max didn’t ask about that. He was smart enough to piece together what likely happened. At least they wouldn’t be fighting about it anymore.

Max tried going down to the kitchen, but Daniel swept him up and put him on his feet outside the bathroom. “Brush your teeth, fix your hair, and get dressed. We’ll be downstairs.” He ruffled his hair, then left. Max pouted during his entire morning routine.

David and Daniel worked on breakfast together; bacon and eggs and toast. They made conversation as they worked, planning out the day. Daniel was eager to introduce David to his friends. Adam, Lewis, Ross, Clara… David was nervous to meet them, but thrilled that Daniel was so eager about it.

They sat down and had breakfast together as a family, then piled into the car. Max sat nervously in the back, fiddling with his thumbs as they drove. Preston’s home was on the other side of the compound, in one of the smaller housing sections. He lived with his grandmother, and when he tried to introduce them to her he had to yell. That explained a lot.

Once they arrived back home, Preston had stars in his eyes as he looked around. “Wow! This place is amazing!!”

“Thanks.” Max tried to play it cool, be nonchalant, but Preston’s exuberant personality made it hard to keep a straight face.

Daniel ruffled his hair. “You can hold down the fort, right? I’d like to take David around the neighborhood to meet some of my pals!”

“Plus, we figured you wouldn’t want as around to embarrass you.” David mentioned with a grin.

Max nodded. “Yeah, I pretty much took care of myself at the last place I lived. Being unsupervised for a few hours will be a cake walk.”

“Alright. Call us if you need anything.” 

They left soon after, rendering Max completely alone with his crush.

Preston had brought a bag of goodies with him. He dug through it and produced a DVD. “I brought Les Miserables! We can watch it after we listen to the Heathers soundtrack and you tell me all about the play!”

Max blinked. He was unable to suppress a shy grin. “Okay, cool.”

### 

It was nice out, so Daniel laced his fingers with David’s and decided they might as well just walk. His friends were all in the same neighborhood, being members of the High Order, so it wouldn’t take long. The sun was warm and the breeze was cool. The perfect day for a walk.

“We’ll see Adam first,” Daniel said, swinging their arms, “Ross and Lewis probably aren’t up yet, and Clara usually meditates in the mornings. Adam’s good fun. You’ll like him.”

“I hope he likes me.” 

“He will.” Daniel kissed David’s cheek sweetly, making him giggle.

Adam’s house was two down, on the other side of the street. It was similar in build to Daniel’s, but the outside was different. There was no porch swing or tree, and the walkway to the porch was made of numerous stones fitted together. The flowerbeds in front of the porch were instead rock gardens.

Daniel led him up the porch and rang the doorbell. After several seconds, Adam answered the door with a massive grin. “Danny-boy!”

“Adam!” 

Adam stepped out of the house and threw an arm around Daniel’s shoulders. “I was hoping you’d stop by! It’s been too long!” He patted Daniel’s back roughly, then straightened. “ _You_ must be David!” He offered a large hand, “I knew you had to be something special to snag Daniel! Looks like I was right!”

“Oh, thanks-” David took the offered hand. An iron grip shook his arm roughly. Yikes.

Adam was a _big_ man. Taller and wider than the doorway, with thick black hair and a trimmed, well-groomed beard. His voice was booming and his muscles intimidating, but he certainly seemed very friendly. “Come in! Come in!” He ushered them inside and closed the door. 

His home was clean and decorated in… sports paraphernalia? David was a little surprised by this. Baseball, football, and boxing seemed to be the main decor genres. The television was on. What was earth was UFC?

“I already bought the fights for tonight. Hendricks and Costa, St. Pierre and Bisping, Namajunas and Jedrzejczyk, and a bunch of others. It’s gonna be a good one! I got some people coming over tonight. You two are more than welcome to stay!” 

Daniel sat down on the couch and pulled David down beside him. “We’re going to go see a couple other people, but we might come back later.”

Adam nodded, “Sounds good, sounds good. You want anything to drink? I have wines and sodas.”

That caught David’s interest. “Oh, what kind of wine do you-” 

Daniel put an arm around him and squeezed his shoulder, interrupting him, “We’ll just have a couple of bottles of water. I know you always keep the fridge stocked with them!”

“Haha, I do! But it seems like David wanted some wine.”

David didn’t have a chance to stick up for himself. Daniel spoke for him again. “Well, it’s early in the day and we have other people to visit. Water would be better for now. But, maybe tonight we’ll take advantage of your generosity by drinking all your wine!”

Adam laughed, “You got it, bud!” He stepped into the kitchen to retrieve their bottles. 

David nudged Daniel in the ribs, whispering, “Dude, what the heck? I like wine.”

“I’ll buy you some later. It’s too early to drink,” Daniel smiled softly at him and rubbed his arm.

“It barely has any alcohol!”

Daniel didn’t reply.

Adam returned and sat their bottles on the table in front of them. “Here ya go!” He sat down in his recliner and settled in, then turned the television down to a background-noise level. “So,” he grinned at them, “tell me tell me tell me, how did you two meet? What made you fall in love? I want _every_ detail!”

### 

It took all of ten seconds to fuck-up the den. Furniture moved, fabric everywhere, tools spread, and TV going. The Heathers soundtrack played on a loop while they cut and sewed fabric. Preston designed and sketched a few simple pieces, picked out the fabrics, and Max sewed them together. For the most part, it was Preston chatting away while Max worked quietly. He didn’t really mind.

“These scarves are going to look _fabulous_!” Preston exclaimed.

Max nodded as he sewed together some warm, teal fabrics into two long scarves.

“I can’t _wait_ for us to wear them! We _have_ to debut them the same day, so-”

“Wait,” Max looked at him in confusion, “I thought these were for you and your grandma?”

“What? No. She has a dozen scarves! These are for you and me! We’ll _match_!”

“Oh.” Max blushed and quickly went back to what he was doing.

“Is that okay?” Preston leaned over, giving him a curious look.

“Yeah, it’s fine.” Max nodded more eagerly than he’d meant to. Damnit, why did Preston make him so awkward?! Oh, right, because he was cute.

_Ugh._

Preston went back to designing, and Max continued sewing. Within a few hours, they had two nice scarves, with plans for more. But, it was lunch time and they were both hungry.

“Want a grilled cheese?” Max offered.

“Sure, but who’s going to cook them?”

“Me, duh. Come on.” Max got up and led him into the kitchen. He got cheese and butter out of the fridge, then pushed a barstool up to the counter and climbed on top. He was able to get other supplies by standing on the counter. Soon, he had the bread all ready and began cooking them in a pan on the stove.

Preston was leaning against the counter, resting his chin on it. “Did one of your dads teach you how to cook?”

“No. My birth parents were shit, so I taught my damn self.”

“Oh… Sorry.”

Max shrugged. “It’s whatever. Least I have two _good_ parents now. How come you live with your grandma?”

“My mom died and dad ran off with some other lady.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I love my Gram-Gram anyway.”

“Cool.” They fell into silence as he cooked. He could feel Preston watching him, but didn’t acknowledge it.

### 

It was afternoon by the time they left Adam’s house. Adam offered them a meal, but Daniel turned him down, stating that he’d already made lunch plans with Lewis and Ross. He led David out and waved as they hit the sidewalk.

David squeezed Daniel’s hand and gave him a perturbed look, “I didn’t really appreciate you making a choice for me earlier… You know I don’t like that…”

“I’m sorry, baby.” Daniel kissed his cheek. “I just wanted to look out for you, but I know it was rude of me to do that. It won’t happen again.”

“Thank you.” David pecked him on the lips. “Adam seemed really nice though. I’m glad to have someone else to talk to around here. Are we going to his party later?”

“No, no… I don’t think you’d like it.”

“Danny, don’t make choices for me,” David chided lightly.

“I’m not, I just… I don’t want to go, and I know you wouldn't like it.”

“Why wouldn’t I like it?” His brows drew together in confusion.

Daniel hunched his shoulders. “Because… his parties usually turn into… very perverse orgies…”

David went red, “OH my God…!”

“Both of his extra bedrooms are… you know. Adult rooms.”

“Have… have you ever been to one of his parties…?”

Daniel cringed. “Yes. Once.”

“Oh…” David’s mood deflated, and he felt guilty for that.

Daniel stopped and took both of David’s hands, squeezing them. “This is why I didn’t want to say anything. I _know_ it upsets you, but I want you to know that it _shouldn’t_. The past is the past. _You’re_ my future. I _love_ you.”

David smiled and squeezed his hands as well, “I know. It’s not that I’m concerned about anything, I just… I don’t know. I guess I’m the jealous type… I never thought I would be.”

Daniel grinned, “At least I know you love me.”

“I do! So much.” David giggled and leaned in. They met in the middle for a sweet kiss.

Their destination was a few more houses down. There was a table and chairs on the front porch, and big round stones formed a path up to the steps. Daniel rang the bell twice.

_“Come in!”_

Daniel stepped into the house and shut the door behind them. They entered the hallway, going straight into the living room. It’s furniture and decor were all in shades of purple. “Sit right here, I’ll be right back.” Daniel gestured to the couch.

David took a seat on the end and watched Daniel head into the kitchen.

“What? You’re not going to introduce your boy-toy to us?” A snippy voice asked.

“I don’t have a boy-toy, so no.” Daniel responded, “But, my _fiance_ is waiting in the living room. Xeemug knows I’m not letting him in the kitchen while you two attempt to cook.”

“ _Rude_ , but understandable.” A different voice. “Ross _did_ already burn some toast.”

“That was you!!”

“You have no proof.”

“Dipshits, do you have wine?”

“We got some cheap wine in the pantry. It’s good though. Better than that expensive shit Adam buys. Yuck.” The more polite voice stated.

The snippy voice replied, “We were thinking about going to his party tonight, but _ugh_ it’s just so much effort, you know? You come for some booze and television and fun, then you wake up strapped in some weird-ass kink machine with God-knows-what up your ass. Fool me once, Adam, you ain’t fooling me twice.”

The polite voice again, “We didn’t really feel like playing Russian Roulette, honestly, but you know that shit’s rigged anyway. Double-blind my ass. He’d totally fuck us intentionally. Are you two going?”

“ _Hell_ no. I’m not subjecting David to that. Wine glasses?”

“In there.”

“Thanks. It’s too much noise and stress and risk. If we want to watch the fights, we’ll just buy them at home. Then Max could watch too.”

“Max?”

“Our son.”

“Jesus Christ, you’re _really_ going all in with this family nonsense, huh?”

“Shut the fuck up, Ross. Pause whatever you’re doing there and come meet David.” Daniel returned from the kitchen with two glasses of wine. 

“I’m scrambling eggs!”

“You’re certainly doing _something_ to those eggs.”

“SHUT UP, LEWIS!”

Daniel sat down beside David and handed him a glass. “Here you go. This will be much better than whatever Adam had stocked, trust me. Wine snobs do _not_ know good wine.”

David giggled and happily accepted the glass. He took a sip and was put at ease. Delicious.

A young man peeked out of the kitchen. His skin was pale and his hair was a fine chestnut color, with a strip of blonde in front. It was short and messy. His eyes got wide when he saw David and he stepped out. “Oh my _God_! Danny, you didn’t tell us he was so _cute_!”

“I did, actually, and I also told you not to call me Danny.”

“Ross! Get in here!” The young man -Lewis presumably- stomped his foot.

“I gotta finish the eggs or they’ll burn!”

“They’re already burnt! Come on!” 

Ross groaned from the kitchen as Lewis practically ran over. “Oh my gosh, what a _lovely_ couple!” He held his hand out to David, “I’m Lewis. It’s so nice to meet you!”

“I’m David.” He shook his hand with a smile. “Nice to meet you too.”

Lewis held a hand over his mouth and giggled. 

Ross popped out of the kitchen a moment later. His stature and looks matched his brother, being twins and all, but his hair was a slightly different style which allowed for telling them apart. At first, his expression was disgruntled. The frown he wore ran from his face a moment later. He lit up just as his brother had and ran over. “Oh my! My name is Ross and it is just _wonderful_ to meet you!”

David shook his hand as well, and they both turned into a mess of giggles. It was flattering, though they appeared quite young. Barely old enough to have purchased the wine, if even that. “Thanks. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

“Oh, no no no,” Lewis giggled, “The pleasure is all ours.”

“Okay, okay,” Daniel waved them away with his free hand. “Quit fawning over _my_ fiance and try to whip up some lunch.”

They ignored him. “What happened to your face?” Ross asked.

“Oh, uh… Accident with a filet knife.” David replied.

Ross nodded in understanding, “Yeah, happens to me a lot too.”

“Soooo,” Lewis grinned and glanced back and forth between them. The giggles had disappeared and there was a sly look in his eye. His brother looked at him, then matched his expression.

_That_ didn’t look good. David took a sip of wine-

Lewis gestured between them, “Foursome?”

-and nearly spat it out. He choked, swallowed, and coughed.

“ _No_!” Daniel snapped, “Get back in the kitchen or I’m dumping wine on your carpet!”

“Awwwww,” they lamented in unison. Grumbling, they headed back into the kitchen.

David was red. Daniel squeezed his shoulders. “Don’t worry ‘bout them. They’re not pushy, just whiny.” He kissed his cheek.

“Danny, you have weird friends.” David stated matter-of-factly.

“Yeah,” Daniel sighed, “I know.”

### 

Three more scarves soon joined the pile. One for David, one for Daniel, and one for Gram-Gram. Max had also put together a hat, but… it wasn’t great. A failed beanie. Oh well. It was a learning experience.

Les Miserables had been playing for the past few hours. They watched the first time, then let it play for background noise after that. Preston hummed along and happily sketched some ideas. “We should make some capes too. They don’t have to match.”

“Cool, a cape sounds easy enough. What fabric?”

“I want that shimmery purple one.”

“Awesome. I’ll use that for mine too. It’s my favorite.”

“You like purple?”

“I like blue, but purple is a close second. This just seems like a good color for a cape.” He pulled the fabric over and laid it out flat to begin measuring. 

He hadn’t even finished one side before Preston flopped across the fabric in front of him, smiling brightly. His new scarf was around his neck, and he had Max’s in his hands. “Max! Guess what?”

“What?” Max quirked a brow at him. 

“I’ve been thinking- we get along really well, don’t we? And we have fun together and like the same things!”

“Yep, we sure do.”

“And when you start in school, we’ll be in the same class, and we could hang out all the time!”

“Yeah, that’s what friends do. I assume.”

“And you’re really cute, and I can tell you think I’m cute too!”

Max went red and had to look away. “Wh- I- You- I’ve never said that!”

Preston giggled. He wrapped Max’s scarf around his neck and tugged him down. He sat up, meeting him and placing a quick kiss on his cheek.

Max nearly _died_. He clenched his jaw so he wouldn’t make a stupid noise, but it didn’t save him. He immediately started giggling and had to slap a hand over his mouth. That also did not save him.

Preston sat up, still grinning. “Maybe we could be boyfriends? I really like you, and you really like me, right?”

Max nodded dumbly, then blinked several times and snapped out of his stupor. “Wait, no- I mean, yes I like you, but we met yesterday…”

“So? It’s not like we’re getting married! I just really like you. I want to hold your hand and hug you and kiss you and hang out and make clothes together…” His face tinted red and he turned shy, “If that’s what you want too.”

It didn’t take a second to make a decision. “Yep!” Max pecked Preston on the cheek, making them both giggle.

“Spectacular! I have such a cute boyfriend!” Preston squealed in excitement.

“Me too!” Max’s big smile quickly disappeared and he put a hand on Preston’s shoulder, “But, my cute boyfriend needs to get the fuck off this fabric so I can cut it.”

Preston laughed. He laid back down and rolled away, going back to his sketches.

### 

It was late into the afternoon by the time they left. With twined fingers they walked down the street toward home. “I’ll fix us a nice dinner, then we can go over to Clara’s a little later.” Daniel said.

“Sounds perfect.” David smiled and let go of his hand to hug his arm instead.

When they returned, they found the boys pretty much where they’d left them. The den was a mess, but at least they were having fun. “What would you two like for dinner?”

“Anything is fine!” Preston chirped.

“Chicken?” Max inquired.

“Sure! I can bake it, or we can make Chicken Helper-”

“ _Chicken Helper!_ ” The kids exclaimed in unison.

The men chuckled and headed into the kitchen. They cooked together, making the pasta and a few sides, and chatted quietly while listening to the boys in the other room. Preston was pretty loud, but it sounded like they were having fun. Max’s soft laughter from time to time was a _very_ good indicator of that.

They ate dinner together, then took Preston home. Afterward, they headed for Clara’s house.

Clara didn’t live in the ritzy neighborhood. Her home was several additions down, in a much more humble section. These homes did not have driveways or garages. Street-parking only. Daniel parked the car in front of a nice little house with a bench out front and a dozen or so chimes and ornaments hanging off the roof of it’s tiny porch.

They climbed out of the car and walked up a smooth stone pathway to the door. Daniel knocked, then looked at David with a wide grin. “You’re going to _love_ Clara. She’s amazing.”

The door opened a moment later and they were greeted by a gorgeous Black woman. Her hair was a mass of long, tight braids, decorated with shiny gold bands and crystal clips, all parted to one side and spilling over her shoulder. She was tall and very plump, with a freckled face and dark, friendly eyes. She wore a white and gold dress similar to the robes worn by Father Gabriel.

“I’ve been expecting you,” she said with a smile. Her voice was deep and rich, like a vat of liquid gold. “Come in.” She stepped aside and gestured for them to enter.

Daniel happily led his family in. They entered a foyer that led directly into a small living area. Daniel sat down on the loveseat and pulled Max into his lap. David sat beside them and laced his fingers with Daniel’s.

Clara sat down across from them in a plush chair with a tall back. There was a serene smile on her face. “Well, well, looks like you found them, didn’t you?”

“Yes!” Daniel practically bounced in his seat. “This is David and our wonderful son, Max.”

“Pleasure to meet you both.”

“You too, ma’am.” David nodded politely.

She chuckled, “Please, call me Clara.”

“Clara is the one who told me about you, David!” Daniel squeezed his hand. “She told me I’d find you one day, and I didn’t stop looking until I did!”

David blinked in surprise. “You knew me before I knew you?”

“Oh, no no no.” Daniel shook his head, “Just that I had a soulmate. I didn’t know it was _you_ until… well, until I _knew_.” He smiled and kissed his cheek. 

“Oh…” David turned to Clara, “So, how…?”

Her smile broadened, “I can read the stars. People ask me questions, and the beings who live in the stars show me the answers.”

“Oooh…” David gave a tense smile. That was… unique.

Max quirked a brow, “So you’re fucking crazy, and you think aliens talk to you.”

“ _Max!_ ” Both his parents chided him.

Clara giggled. “How old are you, sweetheart?” She asked Max in a sweet tone.

He crossed his arms. “I’m ten, so don’t talk to me like I’m five.”

Clara merely laughed. “Oh, my, what a sharp little one. How did you meet your parents, Max?”

“They tried to kill me, then took me hostage, then I decided they were pretty okay for a couple of loonies.”

Another laugh. “Oh, you’re delightfully blunt. We’re going to be good friends, I can tell. In fact, I already have something for my new little friend!” She stood from her chair and walked through a doorway off to the right. When she returned a moment later, she had a rectangular box wrapped in shiny paper with little stars all over it and a fancy white bow. She gave it to Max. “Open it when you get home. The alien’s told me you would like it.” She winked at him, then went back to her seat.

Max frowned at the box. 

Great, his dad was friends with a _nutcase._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALRIGHT now that that shit show is over, I'll tell you that the next chapter has smut and after that things should start ramping up. I'm trying to get this done before the new Camp Camp episode in December (assuming that was real and not a hoax, idk I didn't see that part of the livestream).
> 
> And I don't want anyone complaining that Max and Preston moved too fast. They're ten-year-old kids with a crush. It'll be fine.
> 
> Here's something for you to think on as you wait for the next chapter; there was something in Adam's section that hints at what kind of person he is... it's elaborated on slightly in the twins' section, but it won't be outright stated until... well, until it's too late. Lemme know your thoughts on that and whatever else. See ya in a week!


	22. Tease

It was getting late by the time they arrived home. Daniel carried Max inside, and David carried his gift. They locked up and Max was gently deposited on the couch. David handed him the present, “Welp, we’re home! You can open it now!”

Max looked down at the box in his hands, then set it aside. “Hold on.” He hopped off the couch and ran into the den.

David and Daniel looked at one another, but waited patiently.

Max returned a moment later with two little boxes. “I made these for you guys. Preston wrapped them.” He gave them to his parents, then climbed back onto the couch. 

They sat down beside him with delighted smiles, praising him. He rolled his eyes, but couldn’t hide his smile. He tore open the wrapping paper on his gift and opened the box.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

A light blue hoodie. It looked like it was just his size.

He shot a look at Daniel. “You told her to get me this!”

Daniel chuckled, “I didn’t, I swear. I never mentioned you even had one. I mean, I hadn’t even spoken to her until today, and you were there for that.”

Max’s eyes narrowed, “You’re fucking with me.”

“I’m really not!” Daniel laughed, “I told you, she’s amazing.”

“Uh huh.” Max rolled his eyes. He took the hoodie out of the box and put the box and paper aside. The hoodie was soft and looked remarkably like his old one. “Still… This is an awesome present. I loved that hoodie.”

“Good. You can thank Clara next time you see her.” David said.

“Sure, sure. Now open _your_ gifts.” He put the hoodie carefully aside.

They opened their boxes next, both smiling. Daniel received a soft, pastel blue scarf, while David received a dark green wool scarf. 

“Max, this is beautiful!” Daniel wrapped his around his neck while David was taking a long, deep gasp.

“I LOVE IT!!” David exclaimed. He wrapped it around his neck as many times as he could, then scooped Max up and brought him into his lap. He hugged him tightly, rocking him and nuzzling his hair. “You’re so talented! And so thoughtful! I’m so proud! I love you so much! Thank you!!”

Max smiled, despite how smothering the hug was. “I’m happy you like it, dad.”

“Oh, I just _love_ it!! I’m going to wear it everyday!!”

“David,” Daniel grinned and put a hand on his shoulder, “It’s still too hot to wear a scarf, darling.”

“ _No it’s not!_ ” His voice was muffled by Max’s hair.

“Alright. We’ll see how you feel about that tomorrow afternoon.” He turned his smile to Max. “I’m so proud of you. These are _wonderful_ , Max. I love it, and I can’t _wait_ to show it off when the weather cools.”

Max beamed, “Thanks, dad.” 

David loosened his hold and shifted Max so he was sitting on one leg of each parent. Daniel kissed his temple and stroked his hair. Max couldn’t stop smiling… until he thought about what _used_ to be. He took David’s hand and toyed with it. “The last time I made a scarf, it was for my mo- … for the woman who gave birth to me. I used some of her scrap fabric, and I wasn’t very good, so it wasn’t a very nice scarf, but… I thought she’d be proud of me for trying… She yelled at me for using her supplies… and made me cut the stitches out to get the fabric back… That’s so fucked up…” He could feel tears brimming, but he wiped them away. Things were better now. There was no reason to cry.

“Oh, Max…” Daniel put his hand atop Max’s and David’s, squeezing them both. “She was a fucking _fool. No one_ deserves that. _You_ don’t deserve that.”

“Eh,” Max shrugged, “Her loss. She bought a thin one with fancy designs on it. Mine woulda been _way_ warmer.”

His parents chuckled softly and pressed kisses to his temple. Max found that telling them these things he never mentioned to anyone else was both therapeutic and rewarding. He got it off his chest, they validated and reassured him, then he got affection. Lots of affection. That was worlds better than the crap he was making them buy him in the beginning. This was what he wanted, not a bunch of games and candy…

Well, no, he _definitely_ wanted games and candy, but he _needed_ love. They gave him all those things.

After a brief silence, in which their heads rested against Max’s and they held and gently rubbed his hands, Daniel spoke. “Could I… share something with you both? You can’t tell a soul.”

“Of _course_!” David said.

“Uh, _duh_.” Max added.

“Okay…” Daniel shifted Max back into David’s lap, then stood. He walked around the back of the couch and crouched in front of a tall table against the wall. He fiddled around underneath it, until a hatch popped. A little compartment opened and he pulled something out. He closed the hatch, then quickly returned to the couch, settling in beside David again. “You can’t tell _anyone_ I have this. I really, really mean that. It was supposed to be destroyed years ago…” He showed them what he had.

A picture in an old wooden frame. A couple’s photo, of a blond man who looked almost identical to Daniel, and a beautiful woman with long, golden hair. A gorgeous, young couple, obviously very in love.

“Is this… Are they…?” David started.

Daniel smiled sadly. “This is my mom and dad. I look just like my father, don’t I? I have mom’s eyes though. I’m happy for that…” His smile fell. His thumb brushed the photo. “She was amazing. She painted every picture in this house, you know? She was the best painter in the compound. Her paintings sold for thousands outside. She would give them as gifts to my father. Those are what’re hanging up… She liked painting big, open landscapes, and ponds full of lilies, and happy little families…” He trailed off, going silent.

“What were their names?” David inquired gently.

“Felicity and Alistair.”

“What happened to them?” Max asked softly, squeezing Daniel’s hand.

Daniel sat still a moment, then slowly shook his head. “I… I can’t…” His voice faltered.

David cupped his cheek tenderly, speaking in a near whisper. “It’s okay. I know it’s hard to talk about. We won’t make you. We’ll talk when you’re ready.” He was eager to know what happened, but whatever it was it had clearly been traumatizing for Daniel. Forcing him to say wouldn’t do anyone any good.

“Thanks…” He kissed David’s palm. “Anyway, I better put this away before I start crying. I hate crying.” He wiped his eyes and got up again. The picture was tucked away where it had come from. Not a moment later, he was happily resting on the couch with his beautiful family. “So, Max, did you and Preston have a good time today?”

“Mhm.” Max nodded, “We made scarves and capes and… we’re gonna make… other stuff later…” He couldn’t hold back the yawn any longer. “He likes designing and sketching stuff, and I like sewing it, so it’s pretty fun. Having a boyfriend is pretty fun.”

David and Daniel had matching smiles.

“Oooh, he’s your boyfriend now??” David cooed.

“Damn, you moved quick. I was figuring it would take you another ten years to work up the courage to say something.” Daniel snickered.

“Shut up. You’re a fucking prick. _He_ asked _me_.”

“Aaawww, that’s precious!”

“Shut up-” Another yawn.

“Aw, poor little Maxy is tired.” David kissed his cheek. “I think it’s time for a shower and bed.”

Max hummed. Daniel scooped him up and David grabbed his hoodie. They locked everything and shut off the lights, then headed upstairs. They entered Max’s room and Daniel gently placed him on his feet. David handed him the hoodie. 

“You got it from here?” Daniel asked.

“Yep.” Max nodded.

“Alright. David and I are going to retire as well. We’ll shower after you do. Love you.”

“Love you too, dad.”

“I love you, Max!”

“I love you too.”

“Goodnight!”

“‘Night.”

David waved as they left. Max rubbed his eyes and tossed the hoodie on the bed to deal with later. He grabbed pajamas and showered quickly.

When Max returned his room, he cut the tags off the new hoodie and pulled it over his head. A perfect fit, and it was definitely exactly like his old one. That was a little unnerving, but he told himself that Daniel _had_ to have mentioned all this to Clara at some point. There was no way she’d guessed, or ‘asked the stars’ or what-the-fuck-ever.

He stuffed his hands in the pocket out of habit. There was something in it. With a frown, he pulled out a little envelope. Strange… He opened it and pulled out a white letter. On it was a note in clean, loopy writing, with purple ink.

_Dear Maxwell,_

_They say it’s always darkest before dawn - and this is true! The darkness is turbulent and grows darker with the winds of change. But, this change can lead to amazing things! Don’t be scared of the dark. Accept it, weather it, and soon change will bring something more amazing than you thought possible._

_Be good, tiny angel. Wonderful things await you. The aliens told me so! ;)_

_Love,  
Clara_

Again, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. But, somehow, he felt… comforted. At ease. Safe. Protected.

He chalked that up to being tired and removed the hoodie. He hung it up, then debated on whether to play games in bed for a while…

Ugh, fuck it. He was tired.

With a final yawn, he shut off his lights, then climbed into bed and snuggled in. He was out in minutes.

### 

Daniel shut and locked the bedroom door. David was already gently removing his scarf. He draped it over a hook in the wall and smiled. “I’m so _proud_.” The scarves were lovely, and he couldn’t _wait_ to see what else Max made. He had an amazing talent and incredible skills, and would only get better with age. Oh, the places he could go!

Daniel joined him, hanging his scarf right beside David’s. “Me too. He could definitely hone this skill and make good money. People love hand-crafted items. He’s so talented… just like his grandmother was.” Daniel smiled sadly.

“Are you okay?” David cupped his cheek, lightly brushing it with his thumb.

“I’m fine.” Daniel pulled him into his arms and kissed him softly, squeezing him as he did so.

David responded in kind, wrapping his arms around Daniel and deepening the kiss. His hands caressed his back.

They soon parted. “Can I have you tonight?” Daniel asked softly, hopefully.

David grinned. “Mmm, depends…” he said in a teasing tone. “I have a question for you first.”

“Oh, dear.” Daniel grinned, “Don’t make it _too_ hard. Blood is already leaving my brain to make something _else_ hard.”

David giggled, then took a breath and pretended to be serious. “Out of your friends, who have you slept with?”

Daniel’s face went red, “Wh-why does that matter?”

A devious little grin spread across David’s face. “It doesn’t. I’m just curious.”

“Am I in trouble?”

“Only if you wanna be…” David bit his lip and slid his hands down Daniel’s chest to the slight bulge in his pants. “Maybe you need to be punished…?”

It clicked then what David was trying to do. Daniel shivered. This side of David -a more dominant side, hoping to take control for the evening- was _rare_. He was usually begging to be under Daniel, not calling the shots. This side was just as sexy though. “Are _you_ going to punish me?”

“If you deserve it.” David gently squeezed the bulge and grinned when Daniel softly groaned.

“Out of my friends?” His voice trembled.

“Well, the one’s I’ve met.”

“Even Dexter?”

“My, my, curious that you would even mention him, don’t you think?”

“Fine, fine… Dexter, Adam, the twins, and Paula.”

David’s brows rose in surprise. He repressed the slight ping of jealousy to concentrate on something else. “ _Paula_??”

“It was a long time ago.” 

“Oh, my… You _have_ been bad, Danny. What should I do to you…?” Another squeeze, another groan.

Daniel yanked David’s hips against him, grinding their groins. “Goddamn you’re so _fucking_ hot.” 

David moaned at the contact and gripped Daniels’ shirt. “S-stop it. I’m in charge now, remember? You’re in trouble…” 

“You’re in charge, huh?” Daniel smirked and brushed their lips together, “And how’re you going to stop me if I decide to throw you on the bed, tear off your clothes, and pound your tight little ass all night?” 

David quivered and let out a desperate moan. “Okay, nevermind, you win, let’s do that, please…!” 

Daniel chuckled. “You cave so easily.” He kissed David sweetly, then stepped back. He opened his arms, “Well, come on, punish me.” 

David was still quivering. “You’re the worst.” 

“I know.” Daniel’s smirk was undeniably sexy. 

David huffed, then took a breath to regain his composure. Dammit, Daniel was so good at stirring him up and making him cave. It wasn’t fair at all. With a slight pout, he grabbed Daniel’s shirt and began unbuttoning it, “I’m gonna have to punish you even worse for that.” 

“Mm, go right ahead, baby.” Daniel purred. 

David unbutton the shirt from the top down. He kissed Daniel’s collar and nipped at his skin while slowly opening the rest of the shirt. Daniel purred against him and pulled him closer. The hardness in his pants pressed into David’s thigh, making him moan softly. The shirt opened. David ran one hand against Daniel’s solid chest, while the other slipped between them and rubbed Daniel’s groin. David unbutton his pants and slid his hand inside, feeling the massive, hard organ. He shivered. 

Daniel nipped his ear and ran his hands up David’s back. It was warm and smooth under his palms. His hands briefly roamed, then fingers tucked themselves into the hem of David’s pants. He unbuttoned them, pulled the zipper down, and slid them down just enough to expose David’s rear. He cupped the cheeks and squeezed -grinning when David moaned- then slipped his fingers between them. He rubbed teasingly at David’s entrance, but before he could work a finger inside, David pushed his hands away. 

“Ah-ah-ah,” David said, “You don’t get to touch me like that.” 

“I don’t?” Daniel smirked. 

“Nope. Keep your hands to yourself. Only _I_ get to touch.” 

Daniel leaned closer, “But you couldn’t stop me if I _really_ wanted to. Your pants are already down, my dick is already hard. I could bend you over the bed, hold you down, and _fuck you raw_ all night, and there wouldn’t be a _damn_ thing you could do about it.” 

David quivered. “You’re not making this easy for me.” 

“Good. I like knowing I can get you all worked up with just words.” 

“You’re the worst.” 

Daniel chuckled and kissed his temple. “Sorry, baby.” 

David backed away. “Take off your clothes and lie on the bed.” 

Daniel shed his shirt and pants, while David did the same. Daniel stood nude, but David kept his underwear on. Daniel pointed, “ _That’s_ not fair.” 

“Too bad,” David teased, “Lay down.” 

Daniel did so. He made himself comfortable and watched David dig through one of the nightstand drawers. Specifically, the drawer they’d decided to designated as their ‘adult’ one. Lube and toys were all stored there. He was eager to see what David produced. 

The lube was set out on the nightstand, then two items were placed on the bed; handcuffs and a cockring. David crawled onto the bed. “Hands above your head.” 

Daniel obeyed with a cocky grin, “Oh, we’re getting kinky now, are we?” 

David straddled his chest and cuffed his hands to the headboard. “You’ll get too touchy if I don’t. I can’t have you breaking the rules now, can I?” 

“Hah, I suppose that’s fair.” 

David kissed him sweetly, then climbed off. He took the cockring and settled between Daniel’s legs. His dick wasn’t quite to it’s full glory yet, which was good. It made this a little easier. Gently, David worked the ring on over Daniel’s cock and testicles. Once it was in place and he was sure Daniel was comfortable, he laid on his stomach and began his torture. 

His hand wrapped gently around the base, holding the thick, heavy appendage upright. He pressed his tongue against it just above his hand and slowly, slowly ran it upward. It pressed firmly, so that every tastebud caressed the hot organ as it traveled toward the head. David let out a slow breath as he did this. It felt like an eternity before he reached the head. He pushed his tongue flat against it and stroked the shaft. The taste of precum made him moan softly. 

Daniel’s legs were drawing in. “Fffuuck David…” Daniel breathed. He was no longer mentally laughing at the idea that David would ever be able to _actually_ punish him. He knew now that he was fucked. 

David hummed and let his tongue circle the head a few times, moving at a leisurely pace. His feet kicked slowly back and forth as he toyed with his lover. He placed open-mouthed kisses against the shaft, gently sucking with each one. Every few kisses, he’d gently press his teeth to it, making Daniel’s legs twitch each time. 

He picked a spot just below the head and sucked hard on it. Daniel’s legs jerked and a jumble of cuss words fell out of his mouth. David sucked harder and rubbed little circles with the tip of his tongue. He couldn’t help but giggle at the way Daniel was squirming under him, breathing curses and his name. Finally, he ceased. He giggled and kissed the head, then nuzzled the shaft and rested it against his cheek. It was at it’s full size, plus some, engorged by the torture and the cockring blocking the exit of blood flow. David couldn’t wait to have it inside him. 

Daniel was panting. “Okay… you win… let me go… so I can fuck you…” 

David giggled, “You cave so easily, Daddy. We’re just getting started.” 

Daniel moaned and looked down at David. There was hot lust in his eyes and a growl in his voice. “ _Daddy_ would like to tear that ass up, so if you would please un- _nnnnnnng **fuck** -_!” 

His words were lost when David took the head in his mouth, then swallowed as much of his length as he could. The girth stretched his throat painfully, and he couldn’t fit every inch unless Daniel forced it down his throat, but he wasn’t in a position to do so. David hummed around it and bobbed his head slowly. He had to hold Daniel’s hips down to prevent him from thrusting. He sucked and swallowed and rubbed it with his tongue, until finally Daniel was _begging_ him to let him finish. His abdomen was tensing and his testicles drew in. His body was desperate to orgasm, but the ring was denying it to him. 

David gave one last, hard suck as he drew upward and finally freed the organ. It was swollen and red. Daniel’s whole body was flushed pink. 

“David,” he snarled, “you unlock me this _fucking_ instant.” 

David hummed. “Mmm, you sound angry, I’m not sure I want to…” He waved Daniel’s cock back and forth to tease him. 

“David,” his voice had a forced calmness, “please let Daddy out of the cuffs _right now_.” 

“Mmmmmmm, what if I ride Daddy instead?” 

Daniel huffed, “ _Fine._ Just get on with it.” 

“So impatient.” David giggled as he got up. Standing from the bed, he made sure Daniel was watching him before slowly removing his underwear. He made sure to bend over to take them down to his ankles. Daniel groaned. David hid his snicker, then grabbed the lube off the nightstand and poured some into his palm. He seated himself between Daniel’s legs again and slowly stroked him, spreading the lube. 

Daniel moaned at the contact. He arched into it, thrusting weakly. 

“Aww, poor Daddy…” David puffed out his bottom lip, “Is something wrong?” 

“You’re fucking _**evil**._ ” Daniel growled. 

Another giggle. David finished stroking him, then turned around and bent over, exposing his entrance to Daniel again. He rubbed slick fingers against it and moaned softly. “Mmm, that feels so good, Daddy… Please be gentle with me…” 

Daniel’s voice quivered, “God, David…” 

David hid his grin by letting his head fall. He continued teasing his entrance and letting out little groans and whines, until he too was getting impatient. He sat up straight and looked at Daniel over his shoulder. He gripped his cock, then lined it up with his entrance. The head rubbed against it, teasing them both. “It’s so big, Daddy…” David breathed, “are you sure it’ll fit…?” 

“ _ **Please** , David…_!” Daniel was desperate for him. 

“Well, since you asked so nicely, I guess I’ll _try_ …” David braced himself, then slowly sank. When the head slipped inside, they both groaned. “You’re so _big_ …” David relaxed and let himself sink lower. He was right, Daniel’s cock was engorged, and he could feel the difference the deeper it went. Halfway down, he stopped. “It’s too much, Daddy, I can’t take it all…” 

Daniel growled and thrust, forcing himself deeper. 

David yelped in surprise, then moaned softly. He let himself drop the rest of the way, and quivered all over when Daniel was finally sheathed deep inside him. Thick, hot, unyielding, he knew his insides had to do some rearranging to accommodate it. His own cock throbbed from the overwhelming pleasure of being stuffed full, and his entrance throbbed from being stretched so wide. 

“M-move-!” Daniel gasped. 

David groaned and wiggled his hips, barely giving Daniel what he asked for. 

Daniel growled and suddenly thrust hard. David gasped sharply as he was thrown backward. He barely caught himself before he fell right on top of Daniel. Daniel thrust again, and David knew he would not be getting up. He let himself lay on Daniel’s chest and spread his legs. “Take me, Daddy, I’m yours,” he panted against Daniel’s ear. 

The thrusts were not as hard or deep as David would have liked them to be, but they were hitting at the perfect angle. He gripped the sheets as his prostate was nailed dead-on each time. Needless to say, it did not take him very long to orgasm. His back arched and he cried out Daniel’s name. A good orgasm, but not the one he needed. 

"Stopstopstop-!” he gasped. 

Daniel growled but his thrusts halted. “You okay?” 

David groaned as he sat up. He climbed off Daniel despite his protests and grabbed keys off the nightstand. He straddled Daniel, facing him, and took every inch of him again. With trembling hands, he managed to unlock the cuffs and toss them away. 

In an instant, he was on his back, his arms and legs wrapped around Daniel. His nails dug into his back, gripping for dear life as he was _taken_. It was merciless, overwhelming in it’s intensity. Daniel was holding him tightly and slamming his hips in so hard David could already feel the bruises on his ass. For the briefest of moments he wondered if intestines could bruise, because Daniel was certainly doing a number on them. But that thought was fleeting because soon he couldn’t think, couldn’t speak, could barely breathe. All he could do was tear at Daniel’s back as he was forced to take everything Daniel could give him. The pleasure and the pain blurred together. He was vaguely aware that Daniel would sometimes change his thrust angle and force him into a hard orgasm. 

Daniel was moaning just as incoherently as David, his face buried in his neck. David was so hot and so so tight and those nails in his back spurred him to go harder, faster, deeper, both punishing and rewarding David for his torture. Every orgasm made those nails dig a little deeper, made his body a little tighter, so Daniel aimed to force as many as he could. 

“ _You_ did this,” he snarled, “This is _your_ fault and you’re going to fucking _take it_!” 

David could barely comprehend that. It was all too much. Daniel was too big and it was too hot and too good and fuck- He cried out with another orgasm, the pleasure so intense it burned. Every thrust sent a sharp bolt of something through him and he didn’t know if it was pain or pleasure but he wanted more of it. More more more and it was given to him, whether he even wanted it or not. 

Finally, finally, just when David thought he might pass out from this being too overwhelmingly intense, Daniel hit his peak. He gasped, then let out a moan that could rival a scream. His thrusts slowed, but he slammed his cock into David so hard that each thrust made him cry out in pain. Daniel’s orgasm was so intense he saw spots. He squeezed David tightly as he filled him to the brim with his cum. It spilled over, out, leaking onto the bed. David loved the sensation. 

They went limp, both panting. David’s arms fell uselessly onto the bed and he closed his eyes. His body ached and throbbed, but he was completely satisfied. Daniel soon began placing little kisses on his neck, then finally sat up. 

“Are you okay?” His voice was soft, gentle, loving. 

“Yeah…” David sighed, “I’m great… are you okay?” 

“Fantastic. I love you so much.” 

“I love you too.” 

Daniel kissed his cheek, then climbed off him. He sat on the edge of the bed and cleaned himself off, removing the cock ring in the process. He cleaned David up as well, and soon laid back down beside him. He pulled him close, and David rolled over to rest his head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. 

Daniel closed his eyes too and concentrated on his breathing. That had been… intense. Maybe more intense than he would have wanted. He wasn’t certain David was actually okay, but he didn’t have the strength to badger him about it at the moment. Instead, he rested for awhile, until his pulse evened out and he was breathing normally. 

“David?” He spoke softly. “Are you sure you’re okay?” 

No answer. 

He looked down. David was sleeping soundly. Daniel couldn’t help a small smile. He kissed David’s hair, then carefully got out from under him. David rolled over, but didn’t wake. He headed into the bathroom and started the bath water. His legs were a bit shaky still, so he sat on the edge of the tub to remove his bandages. 

His back stung. 

He sat silently for several moments, watching the tub fill. Once it was about halfway full, he added some bubble bath. Then, he stood and went to the bed. “David?” He gently shook his lover. 

David whined and rolled away. Daniel chuckled. “Baby, come on, we need to bathe.” 

David let out a long whine. “Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnmmmmm. What time is it?” He sounded like a child pouting. 

“You’ve only been asleep about ten minutes, baby. It’s not morning yet.” 

“Oh, good….” David rolled over and opened his eyes tiredly, speaking softly. “You ran a bath?” 

“Mhm. Come on, we’ll wash together.” 

“I can’t walk.” 

“I’ll carry you.” 

“Yaaaayyyyy….” 

Daniel laughed and kissed his forehead. Gently, he helped David remove his bandages, then scooped David up and carried him into the bathroom. With the utmost care, he deposited him right into the bath. 

David let out a happy little hum. “Bubbles…!” 

Daniel climbed in with him and shut the water off. He adjusted them until he was leaning against the rim of the tub with David comfortably in his lap. He wrapped his arms around him. “You sure you’re okay? I was really rough with you.” 

“Mhm. I’m okay.” David nuzzled his neck, happily resting against him. “You did get pretty rough toward the end though. But, I’m not mad at you. I got you really worked up.” 

“There’s no good excuse for hurting you though.” 

“Well, I forgive you. I love you so much.” He kissed his jaw. 

“Thank you, baby. I love you too.” He nuzzled his hair and let out a relieved sigh. David seemed to be okay. “Maybe tomorrow we can start planning our wedding?” He was so excited about it. He couldn’t wait for their big day. 

David hummed. “Sounds good…” 

“What kind of wedding would you want?” 

“Mmmm… It has to be outside at sunset, so it’s nighttime by the end of the ceremony… and I want lots of little lights everywhere… and we can turn off the lights and look at the stars… I’d love that… so romantic…” 

Daniel smiled, “That would be _beautiful_ …” 

Soon, he heard David’s soft snoring. He chuckled softly. Ah, well. A little nap in a warm bath wouldn’t hurt. 

### 

Daniel wasn’t surprised when he woke up the next morning to find Max curled up between him and David. This would likely become a morning ritual for the next few years, and he was fine with that. He liked having his whole family right here with him. 

Max soon awoke as well and started nudging him with his foot. “Dad. Daaaad.” 

“What, Max?” 

“I’m hungry.” 

Daniel chuckled softly. “Alright, alright.” He got up and put on some clothes. “Do you want to help me cook, or rest here with David?” 

Max sat up and tilted his head, “David isn’t going to help?” 

“No, no, I don’t want to wake him. I think he needs to rest today.” 

“What? Is he okay? What happened?” 

“Oh, we, uh… We wrestled a bit too hard last night, I think.” 

Max’s face contorted in disgust. 

Daniel laughed, “You asked!” 

“You could have _lied_!” 

“I suppose that’s true, but I’d rather be honest with as much as I can. I want you to know that you can always trust me.” He ruffled Max’s hair, then left. 

Max glanced at David, who was still sleeping soundly, before following Daniel. 

While his father cooked, Max sat on a barstool and watched. Scrambled eggs and toast and small pancakes. Yummy. After a few minutes, he spoke, “Dad?” 

“Yes, Max?” Daniel replied without looking away from the stove. 

“Are you and dad going to be together forever?” 

Daniel looked over his shoulder at him and smiled. “Of course. All three of us will, and maybe someday another sibling too. Who knows.” 

Max nodded. He hopped off the barstool and walked over. “Thanks for everything, dad.” He hugged Daniel’s leg, and smiled when his hair was ruffled affectionately. 

Within a few minutes he was back upstairs. He climbed into bed with David and gently nudged him. “Dad?” 

“Mm?” David groaned and shifted, “Max?” 

“How are you?” 

“Mm, tired.” David yawned and cracked his eyes open. He smiled softly when he saw his son. “How are you, Maxy?” 

“I’m fine. Are you and dad going to be together forever?” 

“Mhm. Forever and ever. Me, Daniel-” he reached out and pulled Max against him, “and our precious, perfect little boy. Mm, and maybe a little sibling for you someday too… We’ll have to see…” His voice drifted off as he fell asleep again. 

Max smiled and tucked himself against his father, feeling safe, protected, and secure. Clara’s note had confused him some and left him a bit worried, but he knew he could trust these two. Everything would be just fine. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Or will it?
> 
> Okay, finally, next chapter some shit starts going down. There might not be an update next weekend as I'll be out of town for Thanksgiving, but I'll try to get some stuff written and posted the week after. See ya!


	23. Downward Spiral

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sitting in Subway, hours from home, but I got this finished and formatted over the weekend so here ya go!

It was nearing 9pm when the end credits finally rolled. The Phantom of The Opera wasn’t Max’s favorite musical, but at least the music was good. Preston would be so excited when he told him he’d watched it. Maybe they could make some masks of their own or something. That would be fun.

It was still light out, but he knew he’d be carried off to bed soon. Having a bed time and rules and structure kind of sucked, but he was actually kind of thankful for it. His birth-makers hadn’t really given a shit about what he did, so long as he was out of their hair. He could stay up as late as he wanted, eat what he wanted, watch what he wanted, whatever. David and Daniel gave a shit though. They cared about him and wanted what as best for him, even if it wasn’t always what he wanted. They loved him, and he loved them, even if he didn’t love having to go to bed before 10.

Just as he shut the TV off, he heard the backdoor slide softly shut, followed by silence. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. 

Uh oh.

Without a moment to spare, he rolled off the couch and crouched in front of it, staying low and silent, listening. Movement. Someone was sneaking as quietly as possible into the living room, taking slow, precise steps. Max crawled to the other end of the couch, still listening, waiting for the perfect time to make a run for it. 

They continued their careful movement, and when they were finally on the opposite end of the couch, Max made a run for it. The stairs were mere feet away. He scrambled up them, but the other person was taller and faster. They grabbed him, “Got you!”

Max screeched as Daniel swept him off the stairs. Kisses were planted on his cheeks, making him laugh and squirm. “Put me down, you asshole!”

Daniel hugged him, “Nope. I caught you, so you’re all mine!”

David stepped into the living room from the sunroom, “What are you two doing?”

“Davey! Look what I caught!” Daniel held Max up with a big smile.

David smiled and went over. “Oh! What an _adorable_ little critter! Good catch!” He started in with the kisses, making Max squirm more.

“Quit! I’m not adorable!”

“You _are_ adorable!”

Max was helpless in Daniel’s grasp. Kisses peppered his face, but he was smiling and giggling from all the attention, despite his protests.

They eventually shut things down and headed upstairs. Max was already ready for bed, so they took him into his room and tucked him in. They bid him goodnight and lots of love, then headed into their bedroom for the night.

They undressed and climbed into the shower together. The water was nice and warm, relaxing their sore muscles. They’d been working on the treehouse all week, and soon they’d be finished. David was excited to see Max play in it.

They washed each other off, each giving the other a good massage on tense shoulders. Daniel kissed the back of David’s neck and gently pushed him against the wall. He nipped his ear, and his hardness prodded David’s thigh.

David giggled. “Already?”

“Can’t help it. You’re so gorgeous, baby.”

Another giggle. “Alright. Go ahead.”

There was lotion on the shower bar. Daniel spread some on his organ, then gently penetrated David’s tight entrance.

David took a sharp breath, then let it out slowly and relaxed. Daniel sank deeper and deeper, bringing David’s cock to attention. Daniel began thrusting, slow and shallow and gentle. With a little groan, David slid his hand down his chest to his abdomen. Each thrust made his abdomen bulge slightly, his body doing it’s best to accommodate Daniel’s girth. He wrapped his hand around his cock and slowly stroked himself as Daniel thrust.

Daniel’s arms wrapped around him and his lips pressed kisses to the back of his neck.

“You know…” David breathed, “You ever think… it might be kind of fun sometime… to have someone else too? A threesome?”

Daniel growled softly. “I don’t really share.”

“I know, I just thought… It kind of turns me on to… think about having one deep inside my ass… and the other shoved down my throat…”

Daniel groaned and shuddered, “Okay… I think I’d like to see that… Did you have someone in mind…?”

“Mm, well… the twins have already asked….”

“No. They’re a two for one thing and won’t give you what you’re wanting.”

“How about Adam then? He looks like he’d-”

Daniel’s thrusts halted. “ _No,_ ” he said firmly, “I don’t want Adam in our house ever, and I don’t want you _ever_ visiting him without me, got it?”

David grinned, “Yes, Daddy.” Adam was certainly easy on the eyes, so he could see why Daniel would feel threatened by him. David wasn’t interested in him quite like that though.

A groan. The thrusts resumed. “Good boy… How about Dexter? He’s good in bed.”

“Sounds good to me…”

Daniel stepped back, pulling David with him, making him bend over a few degrees. His thrusts quickened. David gasped and groaned and stroked himself faster. “Danny… Danny… Oh gosh you’re so big… You feel so good…” 

“You’re so tight, baby,” Daniel breathed. He closed his eyes and thrust harder. David was panting and moaning against the wall, losing himself.

Daniel finished first, blowing his load deep inside his lover. He took over for David, stroking him quickly while rocking his hips. David finished moments later with a groan. His body trembled with pleasure, while his seed ran down the side of the shower.

They cleaned up in between kisses and cuddles and giggles, then climbed out and dried. They slipped into bed together in just their underwear. David stretched out on his back with a content little sigh.

Daniel dug through the nightstand and produced a sharpie. He rolled over and laid partially on top of David. With a little grin, he began drawing straight lines between freckles.

“What’re you doing?” 

“Mapping the constellations.” Daniel pressed a quick kiss to David’s chest. His hand moved slowly, fingers steadily tracing patterns from memory, bringing the clusters of dots to life in formations he knew by heart. Leo, Lira, Aquarius, a tiny Aries and Calliope. A universe of constellations right beneath his fingertips, that Daniel would happily get lost in. 

David’s breathing evened out the closer he got to sleep. His eyes slid shut and he relaxed, enjoying the sensation of Daniel drawing slow lines across his chest. When Daniel finally finished, he kissed David’s cheek. “Can I do your face next?”

“Don’t you dare,” David muttered.

“How about your back?”

David hummed. He slowly rolled over and made himself comfortable, snuggling into the pillow. Daniel began working again, and when he eventually finished some time later, David’s back was a tapestry of constellations. Daniel kissed the back of his neck, then laid down beside him. David was asleep, so Daniel cuddled close and soon joined him.

### 

Max shifted anxiously in his seat, his backpack clutched against his chest. The school was just as he remembered it; small and well-kept. Some students were just arriving, some waiting around outside, and others entering the building. He spotted Preston waiting just outside the doors for him.

“Nervous?” David asked as he reached over and stroked Max’s hair.

“Yeah, a little.”

“It’ll be okay. I bet Preston will help you make some friends, and I’m sure he’ll help you with anything you don’t understand.”

“Yeah, he will. I love you, dad.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. Be good, and have an excellent day!” He leaned over and kissed Max’s forehead.

“I’ll do my best.” Max hopped out of the car and waved as David drove away. He jogged up to Preston and was immediately wrapped in a tight, comforting hug, followed by a peck on the cheek. They clasped hands and walked into the building together. Preston gave him an enthusiastic tour of the small building, then led him to their classroom. The desks were old and held two students each. They had storage compartments under the chairs for books and folders, and each desk opened up to store pencils, papers, lunch, and other things inside. 

They sat together and, despite his nervousness, Max was smiling.

### 

The electric saw was so loud that Daniel never heard David return. He finished cutting a board in two, then shut it off and set it aside. 

“Danny-”

“SHIT!” Daniel nearly jumped out of his skin.

David was startled, then covered his mouth and began laughing. “Sorry, baby!”

Daniel turned to him with a pout and a glare, “You did that on purpose!”

“I didn’t!”

“ _Sure_ you didn’t.” Daniel grinned and pulled David over by his belt loop.

David draped his arms over Daniel’s shoulders, smiling. “How’s the treehouse coming?”

“Great. I bet we can get it all put together by the time school’s out. I’ve got all the cuts made.”

“Awesome! Max will be so excited.” David kissed him quick and took his hands, “Want to grab lunch and finish this up?”

“Absolutely.”

They headed inside together. There was leftover spaghetti and garlic bread that they were happy to warm and eat for lunch. They sat down at the dining table together. 

“How’s the job hunt?” Daniel asked.

David grimaced. “Still nothing. I stopped in at about five places, but no one was hiring. I even tried some of the farms, but they turned me down… I’m really worried.”

Daniel reached across the table and took his hand. “Don’t be. Sometimes it just takes a little while.”

“I don’t want Father Gabriel to be upset with me. We’re already on thin ice.”

“He won’t be! We can sell some woodwork or clothes until you find something. You have lots of skills. I’m sure you’ll find something soon.”

David nodded. “It would be nice if I could teach these skills… Like a wilderness survival class or something.”

“That’s a great idea! You should ask Father Gabriel if he’d allow the school to set that up. Those are very useful skills.”

“You think so?” David smiled shyly, “Okay, I guess I could go talk to him. Then, at least he’d know I’m trying to find one. Thanks, Danny.”

“You’re welcome, baby.”

### 

Max was disappointed when Preston was asked to stay inside during recess. What the fuck could be so important that Paula would hold him in to talk to him? It was bullshit. He was forced to interact with other kids, which he wasn’t happy about, though he supposed he should make the best of. Thankfully, Wanda was very welcoming. He met her friends, who were all very nice, but he was a bit too abrasive for them. They didn’t seem the appreciate his foul mouth.

He ended up hanging around with Nurf and a dumb kid named Neil who seemed waaayy too into space. They were pretty okay, so maybe he could call them friends.

When they were finally let back into the building, Max happily slipped into his desk beside Preston. “Hey, Pres. What did Paula want?”

Preston didn’t greet him, didn’t look at him. His eyes were locked on the desk. 

“Preston?” Max hesitantly tried to take his hand, but it was yanked from his grasp.

Preston hugged himself. “I don’t really feel like talking right now, Max.”

“Why? What happened? Are you okay?”

“I _said_ I don’t feel like talking.”

Max flinched. “Oh. Sorry…” He tucked his hands into his hoodie pockets, wilting.

### 

After lunch, Daniel went back to working on the treehouse while David decided to go speak to Gabriel. His lavish mansion was just a short walk up the road, so David kissed his partner goodbye and headed out. The walk took all of five minutes. He rang the doorbell and waited nervously, heart pounding.

When the door opened, Father Gabriel stood in all his glory, looking down his nose at David. “Can I help you, Mr. Greenwood?”

David almost corrected him, about to remind him that he’d rather be referred to as David or Mr. Vandovear, but he caught himself before doing so. “Good afternoon, sir- _Father_. I was hoping to speak with you about some job prospects. I’ve been searching for days, but-”

Gabriel stepped aside and gestured for him to enter. “Come inside. Let’s discuss this in my office.”

“Oh- Yes, sir- Father.” David hurried inside with his head ducked. 

The mansion was even nicer inside than it was out. Full of expensive décor and furnishings. David was in awe of it. They headed into his office, where Gabriel sat behind a sleek desk, and David sat in a plush chair across from him.

“I take it you’re having some trouble finding a job.” Gabriel said.

“A little, yes. I’ve checked numerous places and many people aren’t hiring, it seems. So, I was thinking I could sort of carve my own place. I was hoping I could teach a class, actually. I have a lot of skills. Wilderness survival, knot-tying, wood working, and things of that nature, as well as knowledge about most flora and fauna, how to farm nearly any land, and other things.”

Gabriel’s unimpressed expression didn’t change. “And you think these skills would be enough to teach a class on?”

“Oh, yes, sir! I could teach ten classes on several different skills, but I could condense the more important or interesting ones into one or two classes, if that was alright.”

Gabriel hummed, looking briefly contemplative. “I’m afraid I must deny your request for any assistance. To be quite honest with you, Mr. Greenwood, I have no desire to help you make a place for yourself here.”

David’s face fell. “W-what- But, I- I need a job, don’t I? No one will hire me, no one has room. What do you suggest I do?”

He leaned forward. “Leave and never return. You’re a thorn in my side, a _bug_ in the ear of my Evangelist. I can’t have you swaying his beliefs or loyalty. He’s smarter than his father, and _far_ weaker. You’re not much of a threat to me now, but in time you could be. That’s why I need you gone.”

David felt cold, scared, and angry all at once, but he wasn’t surprised. Gabriel’s contempt for him wasn’t well-hidden. “I’ll tell Daniel about this-”

“Go ahead. He won’t believe you. It’ll only expediate your departure. You know how angry he gets, and how irrational he can become. I can control him. You can’t. No matter how thoroughly you may have seduced him, he will always choose us over you.”

David had no reply, no words, no hope. Gabriel was right… This place was worth far more to Daniel than he and Max could ever be.

“The boy can stay,” Gabriel continued, “I could make a loyal follower out of him, and an excellent Evangelist, just like his father. But not you. You’re a free-thinker. You ask questions. I can’t just send you out without upsetting Daniel, but if you fail to fit in here, you two will eventually fall apart. You’ll be long gone by the end of the year, I’m sure of it.” He grinned and leaned back in his chair. “Now, get out of my house,” he waved his hand dismissively, “I have no desire to look upon you any longer.”

David left shortly after, dazed and numb and lost. He drifted home and straight through the house to the backyard. Daniel was carrying wood over to the tree to nail it up. He sat everything down when he saw David, and opened his arms. David hugged him tightly and buried his face in his neck.

“Hey, baby,” Daniel squeezed him, “How’d it go?”

“He said no.”

“Oh… Well, that’s okay. We’ll figure something out.” He kissed his temple. “We can sell woodwork and clothes and things like that. I’ll put the word around that you’re good at lots of things, so some odd jobs would be an option too. It’ll be okay.” 

David didn’t reply, just held his partner tight and prayed he was right.

### 

Preston didn’t speak to Max the rest of the day, despite Max trying to coax something out of him once in a while. His dads always worked things out with words, so that was clearly how things should be done. But, Preston wouldn’t budge. At the end of the day, Max tried one more time. “You’re still coming over to hang out, right?”

“No.” Preston finally spoke, “I need to go home.” Once the bell rang, he gathered his things and left.

Max stayed where he was as other students also exited the room. He wasn’t stupid in the least, quite the opposite actually. All afternoon he’d been rolling things over in his mind, piecing things together to figure out what was wrong. The answer, of course, was obvious. Paula had said or done something to him during recess, and he was damn sure going to find out what.

Soon, it was just him and Paula left. She smiled pleasantly at him. “Is there something you needed, Max?”

“What the fuck did you do to Preston?”

Her smile didn’t waver. “We just had a little chat, that’s all.”

“Bullshit!” He jumped out of his seat and stormed over. “He wouldn’t _speak_ to me! Or even _look_ at me! I know you did something!”

She laughed and knelt to his level. “Oh, you’re such a _feisty_ one! Those are _always_ the most fun to play with. In a few years, you and I can find _lots_ of fun things to do together.” She playfully tapped the end of his nose.

As realization dawned on Max, his stomach twisted in horror and disgust. “You’re a fucking pedophile!”

She laughed again. “Oh, you’re far too young to understand such a big word!”

“I’m going to tell my dads about you!”

“And there won’t be anything they can do. Daniel would never betray me. They’ll just fight and fight until they split up, then you’ll go from two daddies to none!” She patted his head and stood. “Now, you’d better get going! I’m sure your daddy’s here to pick you up, and I have papers to grade! Byebye!”

Max left shortly after, dazed and numb and lost. He drifted into the parking lot and found his ride. Wordlessly, he climbed into the passenger seat.

“How was your day?” David asked softly. Something was wrong.

“Not good. You?”

“Not good either.”

“What happened?”

“Father Gabriel is trying to drive me out. You?”

“Paula’s a pedophile.”

“ _What?!_ ”

“Yeah… I think she messed with Preston, and I think she has a thing for me too…”

David squeezed the wheel, furious, “I can’t _fucking_ believe this! I could _kill_ her! I have to talk to Danny-”

“No! Please!” Max begged, “You’ll fight and you’ll split up and I don’t _want_ that! Please don’t tell him!”

“Sshh, it’s okay, it’s okay.” He reached over and stroked Max’s hair, “We’ll figure this out together. We’ll work it out like we always do. We won’t split up, I promise.”

### 

Daniel was still outside when they returned. The treehouse was built and looking good, but there were a few finishing touches they wanted to add. Namely, some good wood sealer to keep water out and a bit of paint in places to add some flair, among other things.

“Max!” Daniel crouched and opened his arms. Max didn’t hesitate to step into his embrace. “How was your first day? Did you make some friends?”

Max didn’t reply, just hugged him tighter. 

“Danny,” David said, “What do you know about how much Paula likes kids?”

Daniel’s brows drew together in confusion. “Huh? I just know she likes kids. Why?”

“How _much_ does she like kids, Daniel?”

The confusion lingered for several seconds, then realization, then horror. Daniel turned paler than he already was. He grabbed Max’s shoulders. “What did she say to you?! What did she do? Did she touch you?!”

“Did you know she likes little boys?!” David demanded.

“No! I mean- I didn’t _know_ until just now-”

“But you had suspicions? And you _still_ sent Max to her class?”

“Not on purpose! I didn’t think she’d still be doing this-”

“How long has she?!”

“I don’t _know_ , David! Ten years or so!”

“And you’ve done nothing?”

“I never put it together, David!” Daniel snapped, “I was 15 when we messed around! I thought I was an adult! Age was the furthest thing from my mind! When she lost interest, I thought we just drifted, okay?! But now that you’re bringing it up… What the _fuck_ was she doing messing around with someone ten years younger? We didn’t drift, I got too old for her… God _damnit_ … I’m so _sorry_ , Max.”

David calmed some and knelt beside Daniel. “What’re we going to do?”

“I don’t know…” Daniel paused to think. “I’ll see if we can homeschool him, or move him to a different class.”

“That doesn’t solve the problem. What about the other kids?”

“She messed with Preston, dad…” 

“I- I don’t know… Maybe I could talk to her and she’d leave you alone-”

“Talk to her? Danny, she should be _punished!_ Isn’t she violating a huge rule?”

“Yes, I _know_ , but it’s not my place.”

“Then we’ll tell Father Gabriel.”

“No! I’ll take care of this, okay? Just stay here.” He ruffled Max’s hair and stood. “I’ll be back soon.” 

David didn’t try to stop him. He let Daniel take the car and leave. Damnit… When did working things out become so difficult?

Max sniffled and wiped his eyes. “I knew you’d fight…”

David stroked his hair. “It’s okay, Max. We’ll work it out. I am going to speak to Father Gabriel though. Even if he hates me, I’m certain he’d want to punish a disgusting pedophile. I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Okay. Be careful.”

“I will.” He kissed Max’s forehead and left. 

The walk didn’t take as long as before. His strides were quick, determined. He rang the bell and waited.

The door opened moments later. Gabriel looked down his nose at him. “Didn’t I tell you we were done talking?”

“Father, I feel you should know that Miss Paula has a habit of messing around with her young students.”

His expression didn’t change. “You think I’m not aware of that? You think I care?”

David’s shoulders fell. “But- It’s immoral- It’s against the rules!”

“And who do you think makes the rules? Who enforces them? Who decides who’s above them or not? _Me._ And I. Don’t. Care.” He stepped back. “Have a pleasant day. I hope to see you dead or leaving very soon.” With that, he slammed the door.

David was left in disbelief. Didn’t anyone here care about the rules? The gospel? The religion? If the man in charge didn’t, then… Did anyone? 

He headed for home again, feeling worse than before. He wanted this to work, but… he wasn’t sure he could stay here. Not with Gabriel hating him and Paula threatening his child. But, could he ever convince Daniel to leave? 

He wasn’t sure. And that was terrifying.

Ross and Lewis were out on their porch. They waved at him as he passed. “Hi, David!” Ross called. “Given any thought to that four-way?” Lewis added.

“No, thank you.” David called back. “I’m not really in the mood to joke about it either.”

“You okay?”

“Not really.”

“Adam’s still home. You should talk to him. He’s a great listener!”

David blinked. Daniel didn’t want him alone with Adam, but… what was the harm? Sure, Adam was attractive, but David loved _Daniel_. He felt nothing toward Adam. Daniel had nothing to worry about. “Okay, thanks!” He smiled and kept moving.

“No problem!” 

“Have fuuun!”

They laughed and he rolled his eyes. What a couple of perverts.

Adam’s house was a quick trot away. David rang the bell and waited. A moment later, Adam answered with a big smile. “David! It’s _great_ to see you!”

“Hey, Adam! Could I come in? I really need someone to talk to and I heard you’re a great listener.”

He laughed and stepped aside, “Yeah, Ross sent me a text about it. Come on in! Wine?”

“Sure, thanks!” David smiled and happily headed into the living room. He made himself comfortable on the couch. Within seconds he was brought a glass of wine. He took a sip and suppressed a grimace. Daniel was right. Expensive wine tasted _terrible._

“What’s on your mine, Dave?”

David took another sip, then sighed. “I’m just… worried. I don’t fit in and I’m not sure Daniel and I can work through that. I’ve found out some things I’m pretty upset about but no one seems to care much, not even Daniel. I want to stay, but at the same time I’m not sure I can… I love Daniel, but… I’m just not sure of a lot of things right now…” He took another drink.

Adam hummed and nodded. “I understand. A lot of people have a tough time adjusting when they first arrive. But, I can tell you’re smart and resourceful, so I know you’ll settle eventually. What did you learn that upset you?”

David grimaced, not finding his advice very helpful or comforting. At least he tried. He took another drink. “Paula… sleeps with her students…”

“ _Damnit_ , is she _still_ doing that? She already got in trouble once!”

David was surprised at that. “Father Gabriel doesn’t seem to care…”

“Well, I do. I’ll go have some words with her. She’ll listen to me. I scare the shit out of here for some reason. I used to be offended by that, but screw it. At least I can do some good with it.”

“Thank you,” David smiled softly, “I’d really appreciate it.” It wasn’t much, and Daniel was doing the same thing, but at least Adam cared. Plus, if another person confronted her, maybe she’d cut that shit out.

If not then… he’d cut her throat and leave. 

He finished his drink and was surprised to find he already felt a little dizzy. Must have been strong wine. “I should get home. I think I need to lay down a little while before I start dinner.” He stood, but dizziness made him sit again.

Adam put a hand on his leg. “Why don’t you take a quick rest here? You’ve had a rough day.” His hand slid a little higher up David’s leg.

David stiffened. He pulled his leg away. “No, thank you. I really have to go. Max is waiting.” He tried to stand again, but this time Adam grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down.

“I insist you stay.”

“Let go of me.” David tried to free his wrist, but to no avail.

“Calm down. Just relax and go to sleep.”

“ _No!_ I’m going _home!_ ” He tried to get away, but Adam was much stronger.

“Quit struggling!” Adam snarled, “If you’ll just go to sleep you’ll never even know. You’ll wake up and go right home. Stop fighting and accept it!”

“NO!”

Adam pinned him to the couch and kissed him forcefully, painfully. “I haven’t had a fighter in a long time,” he sneered, “I bet you’ll be just as tight as Daniel was.”

A surge of fury momentarily cleared the haze. With a snarl, David slammed his head into Adam’s mouth. Adam screamed in paid and slapped both hands over his bloodied nose and lips. It was enough to allow David to kick Adam off and escape.

The pulsing in his brain made it difficult to even stand, let alone run, but he pushed his body to do just that. He burst through the door and stumbled down the street. The twins were still out on their porch. He called for help, but they merely laughed. “Better hurry, Adam! He’s getting away!”

God, they’d set him up. They _knew_ this would happen.

He managed to get home and lock the door, then stumbling into the living room and collapsed.

Adam banged on the door. “Let me in, you little cunt! We aren’t through!”

Max was off the couch and on the floor beside David in a second. “Dad?! What’s happening!?”

“Call Danny…” David managed. It was so hard to think and speak and move and fight to stay awake. He wouldn’t pass out until Daniel was home though, until he knew Max would be safe.

The banging stopped as Max dialed the phone. After two rings, Daniel answered. “ _What, Max?_ ”

“Dad something’s wrong with David and someone’s trying to get into the house and-” The back door slid open forcefully. “ _He’s in._ ”

“DAVID!” Adam roared.

“Max, hide!” 

“Dontcallbackjustgethome,” Max hung up the phone and ran into the laundry room. He crawled into the dryer and went still and silent. He didn’t want to ditch David, but he would need to take the intruder by surprise of he wanted to take him down. If David told him to hide, then he knew that would be best, at least for now.

Adam entered the living room and smirked. “Caught you.”

“Get out of my-”

Adam kicked him in the ribs, silencing him. “Where’s your boy? I know he’s around…” He headed into the hall and paused at the laundry room. With a grin, he entered.

“Wait! Leave him alone!” David begged weakly, “You can do whatever you want to me just _please-_ ”

The dryer started, and so did Max’s screams. Adam returned a moment later. “Now you’re _all mine._ ” He kicked David in the head, finally rendering him unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend >:) MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA


	24. Divided

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goddamn, I got some GREAT reactions to last chapter. Just a bunch of comments in all caps. I fucking love it. A couple of my favorites (ones that made me immediately just fucking laugh) were "WHAT DO YOU MEAN NEXT WEEKEND" and "WHAT THW FUUUUUUUCKKKKKKKKK" Fuckin comedy gold right there.
> 
> Anyway, I finished the next chapter already (because this chapter was originally meant to be with the previous chapter, but I just wanted to be cruel and leave you with that cliffhanger) so instead of making you wait like A BIG MEANIE I'm giving it to you now! Enjoy >:)
> 
> (p.s. sorry some of the formatting is weird. its a long story)

It took mere minutes to get to the school, and seconds to find Paula's classroom. She was seated at her desk, going over papers with a red pen. When Daniel entered, she looked up and smiled. “Danny! Good to see-”

“Don't call me that.” Daniel stormed over and put his hands on her desk, leaning toward her.

“Oh, sorry. How are-”

“Did you put your fucking hands on Max?”

She blinked, then laughed softly, “oh, you know how kids are! They get so easily confused-”

“Cut the bullshit, Paula!” He yelled, “I know you're messing around with kids! You'd better keep your _fucking_ hands to yourself because I _swear_ to _Xeemug_ if I hear about you touching another goddamn kid I'll fucking _kill_ you and make it look like a fucking _accident_!”

She balked, “You- you can't say that to me! Father Gabriel-”

“Shut the fuck up! He knows we all fucking hate each other! He knows one of us is bound to kill another one sooner or later! And if you even _think_ about putting your _disgusting fucking hands_ on another kid, I'll drag you out to the _goddamn_ fields and throw you under a harvester! Do you understand?!”

She whimpered.

Daniel slammed his fists on the table, “ _Do you_ _understand_?!”

“Yes!” She cried and pushed her chair back, trying to get away from him.

“Good.” He straightened. “Nice talking to you.”

She glowered. “I'm going to tell Father about-”

Daniel grabbed a tray full of papers and tore it across the desk, knocking everything off and making her scream. “THEN FUCKING TELL HIM!” He slammed his hands on the desk again. “Go ahead and tattle, Paula,” he hissed, “one way or another, you'll be dead for it. I'll either poison you, or I'll alert the whole community to your _fucking_ perversions and Father will be forced to execute you to keep the peace. So tell him. Give me a good excuse to _fucking_ end you.”

She shrank from him, fear in her eyes. He'd never so much as raised his voice at her before, but he was _furious_.

His phone rang and he gave Paula one last glare before straightening. “I'm not going to warn you again either.” He answered his phone as he walked out the door. “What, Max?” Yikes, that had come off more snappish than he'd meant to. Before he could apologize, however, there was a flurry of words over the phone. He barely caught what was happening, but once he did he was speeding back to his home, back to his family.

Daniel parked the car haphazardly in the driveway and ran to the door. The keys were slammed into the lock, turned, then torn out. He burst through the front door, then kicked it shut and stumbled into the hall. “MAX?! DAVID?!” His ears caught Max’s screams coming from the laundry room, and his stomach twisted when he realized what had happened. He ran into the laundry room and yanked the dryer open.

Max was hot to the touch. Daniel pulled him out and began tearing his hot clothes off.

“Dad,” Max’s voice was weak and raspy, “A big man came after David… David couldn’t walk…”

“Shit,” Daniel picked him up, clutching him against his chest, and decided to check upstairs first. There was really only one person who could have done this, and he was either in the bedroom or back at his home. Sorry son of a-

Their bedroom door stood open. David was unconscious on the bed, his shirt open and pants gone. Adam was leaning over him with his pants down. He looked up when Daniel entered the room and stopped.

Daniel stood still, holding Max tightly and shaking. “ ** _GET. OUT._ ** ” His voice had a demonic undertone to it and a tremble that was either fury or insanity. Tears of rage and sorrow ran down his cheeks, and he had to clench his teeth to keep from screaming.

Adam calmly pulled his pants up and zipped them. “Ah, sorry you had to see this, Danny-boy. You know how it is though. Anyone who comes into my house is fair game, and-”

“ ** _Get out before I chop your tiny fucking dick off_ **_!_ ”

“Okay, okay, calm down.” Adam put his hands up and walked past Daniel, “Remember, you can’t touch me, or Father will-”

“ ** _GET OUT!!_ ** _GET OUT GET OUT GET_ **_OUT!_ ** _!_ ”

Adam chuckled softly and quickly left. Daniel followed him down and locked the front door, then the back. By the time he got back upstairs, he was shaking and failing to hold back tears. He took Max to their bathroom and ran a lukewarm -not cold or it could shock his system- bath. He removed the rest of Max’s clothes and set him in the tub.

“Daddy?” Max was too weak to sit up on his own, but leaning against the tub he could see David lying motionless on the bed. “Is David okay? Are you okay? Will I be okay?”

Daniel broke. He buried his face in his arms and began sobbing. “It’ll be okay, Max,” he managed to say between sobs, “It’ll be okay…” He wasn’t sure he believed that. Paula was one issue and one he could control for the most part. Adam though? He had nothing he could leverage against him. The things Adam did technical did not break any rules. He was bigger and stronger too, so threats didn't work. No, Adam was a much more difficult issue to deal with than Paula could ever be.

He knew they’d reached a breaking point. David wouldn't just let all this go.

Max weakly reached over and grasped his hand. “Please don’t break up…” he whimpered, his lip trembling.

Daniel finally looked up and wiped his eyes. “We won’t. I _swear_ we won’t, Max. I’ll take care of us. I’ll fix this. It’ll be okay.” He could feel his sanity slipping, but he clutched it. Nonono, he could repair this. He could figure out a way to keep his family and stay here. They wouldn’t fall apart over this, they wouldn’t… they couldn’t… he couldn’t take it if they did.

Max eventually cooled down. Daniel gently dried him and put some burn ointment all over his skin. Thankfully, he must not have been in there more than a few minutes. His burns weren’t at all severe and his injuries minimal. The trauma though? Probably worse than Max was playing it off as.

Daniel put David’s clothes back on and moved him into a more comfortable position. He placed Max on the bed beside him, then laid down with them. Max passed out within a few minutes, exhausted and aching, leaving Daniel all alone to just stare down at his family in silence.

* * *

 

David awoke hours later. It was dark outside, his head was pounding, and his body hurt. He let out a soft groan, then a series of whimpers as he tried to get up, to figure out where he was and what was happening. Was Adam still here? Had he raped him? Oh _God_ , Max! “Max-!” he gasped weakly, “Max!”

“Ssshh,” Daniel was suddenly there, right beside him, gently stroking his face. “It’s okay, baby. Max is safe. He’s resting. You’re safe. I’m right here.”

“Danny-!” David sobbed and clutched his hand, “Adam…! Did he…?”

“No. I got here before he could do anything to you, I swear. Just rest. I’ll bring you some water and something for your headache, okay?”

“Thank you… thank you…” David cried softly. The relief was overwhelming.

“I love you so much, baby. So much. I’ll be right back. Just rest.” He kissed him, then he was gone.

David took shaking breaths, calming himself. He rolled over, groaning as he did so, and found Max sleeping soundly beside him. His skin was flushed, but otherwise he appeared to be okay. David’s lip trembled and he couldn’t help but cry for Max. He’d almost been cooked to death in a dryer. Was he really okay? Physically, mentally, and emotionally? Only time would tell.

Daniel returned moments later. He helped David sit up, then handed him a glass of water and some pills. David took the pills and downed the water. He made himself comfortable against the headrest and closed his eyes, waiting for his headache to subside.

Daniel left again, then came back a while later with buttered toast and more water. David smiled softly and took the plate. “You know just what I like…”

“Of course I do. We’re soulmates. I love you so much.” Daniel kissed his temple and rubbed his shoulder.

David ate slowly. He hadn’t even realized how hungry he was until he’d been presented with food. It helped relieve his headache some too. He finished his toast and water and was soon feeling much better. “What did you do with his body? Did you clean everything up already?”

“Huh?”

“Adam… You killed him, right?”

“Oh…” Daniel cringed, “No… I wanted to, believe me, but… Father Gabriel would have my head.”

David clinched his fists. “For protecting your family from a rapist and child killer?”

“Adam and I are supposed to be friendly and aren’t allowed to take shots at one another anymore…”

David stared, searching Daniel’s face for answers. “He’s done this to you too, hasn’t he?”

Daniel didn’t answer that, which was as good as a yes. “I think he pulls this shit because he’s fucking pathetic. His dick is the size of my pinky and he’s got a complex about it. Anyone who comes into his house is fair game. Father just… lets him do it…”

“And you’ve never questioned that?”

“I don’t question Father Gabriel. No one does.”

David looked at him sadly. With a soft sigh, he climbed off the bed and stood. “Come on. Let’s talk downstairs so we don’t bother Max.”

Daniel nodded hesitantly. He knew this wasn’t going to go well.

They went downstairs together. Daniel tried to take David’s hand, but David stepped away from him. “Let’s talk on the porch. I don’t want Max to hear us argue.”

“Are… we planning on arguing?”

David didn’t reply. He unlocked the door and opened it, letting Daniel out first. He shut the door, but stood with his back against it. “Daniel, we can’t stay here.”

Daniel cringed, wilting, “I figured that was coming.”

“So, you agree we should leave?”

“We can’t. It’s not that easy. We’re safe here.”

“Safe? From who? Our neighbors are rapists and pedophiles, Danny!”

“Ssh! I know! I know… But, outside we’d have to worry about the police, about random dangerous people, and about other members they might send after us for running away. At least in here we know who we’re up against.”

David stared at him for several seconds, then took a breath and spoke. “Danny, Gabriel told me today that he doesn’t want me here. He thinks I’m a bad influence on you. I think… he’s right. I can’t settle in here, and as long as I’m here neither can you.”

Daniel shook his head, “No, no, it’s fine! Father can be a bit cruel at times but I _promise_ if you just stick with it, he’ll come around! We can be _happy_ here!”

“No, we can’t… That’s why I’m… I’m taking Max and leaving, Daniel.” David didn’t sound as sure of himself as he would have liked, but frankly he wasn’t. He fought back tears.

Daniel’s face fell. Ice ran through his veins. “What...?”

“I _want_ you to come with us, I want that more than _anything_ , but I know you won’t… You won’t leave, and we can’t stay, so…” Tears started rolling, “So we have to go without you…”

“No… No, you can’t!” Daniel took an aggressive step forward.

David was quick to defend himself. He shoved Daniel, sending him to the porch on his butt. “I can and I will! I’m _not_ staying here with you! You’re _not_ the man I agreed to marry!” He wiped away tears and couldn’t look at Daniel’s frightened, heart-broken face. “I don’t even know if that man ever existed… We rushed into this like fools, and now look what’s happened… We’re both more broken than we were before…”

“David, please… Let’s go inside and talk, _please_ …” Daniel begged with a shaking voice. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks.

David shook his head, “No, I’m done talking… I’m done pretending things are fine… They’re not fine… This place is _awful_ …! And you don’t even _realize_ it!” In a fit of anger, he tore off his ring and threw it at Daniel’s chest.

Daniel scrambled and caught it. “David, _please_!” He cried, “I love you so much, _please_ -!”

“ _Do you_ ?!” David snarled, “Do you love _me_? Do you love _David_? Or do you love the idea of having a _soulmate_?! Because there’s a huge difference, Daniel!”

“I- David, I love _you_ -!”

“ _Prove it._ ” David stated. “I’m going to pack tonight. Tomorrow at nine, we’re leaving. If you love me, if you love Max, then be here then and leave with us. You can put that ring right back on my finger once we’re out of this state.”

“But-!” Daniel got to his feet.

“ _No!_ I don’t want to hear it!” He opened the door and stepped back into the house. “Find someone else to sleep with tonight! Because I don’t want you in here! You either leave with us tomorrow, or we never speak again!” He slammed the door and locked it, then slid to the floor. Sobs shook his body. His whole world was falling apart around him.

“Daddy?”

David looked over his shoulder. Max was standing on the stairs, clutching Mr. Honeynuts. David stood and walked over. “Let’s get back to bed, buddy…”

Max’s eyes watered. “You promised… You swore you wouldn’t split up…”

“I know. I’m so sorry, Max.” David picked him up and hugged him tightly. He took him upstairs and collapsed in the bed. They curled up together and held one another tightly as they sobbed.

Outside, Daniel fell to his knees when he heard the locks click into place. His entire world fell apart, crumbling all around him and cutting deep like glass. He clutched the ring, clutched for reality, for his sanity, but his grip wasn’t strong enough anymore. 

His sanity slipped away, shattered, and suddenly he was calm. Before him lay a clear path to his goal. He knew every word and every step he’d have to take to achieve it. This was a clarity he’d never experienced before, but one he trusted and knew he could follow.

Calmly, he slipped David’s ring on his finger, then stood. Humming a pleasant tune and with a slight bounce in his step, he left his front porch and headed down this new path that would lead him straight to the thing he wanted most in the entire world.

Within moments he was standing on Father Gabriel's porch. He rang the bell and waited patiently.

Gabriel answered dressed in his night robes.

“Good evening, Father!” Daniel greeted politely, “Sorry to bother you so late. Could I speak with you?”

Gabriel looked him up and down. “On what topic do you wish to speak?”

“Well, David kicked me out of the house, and I was hoping to get some advice, if you don't mind too much.”

A grin twisted one side of his lips. “Come in, Daniel. I have much advice to give you.”

“Oh, thank you, Father! I really appreciate this!” Daniel slipped inside. With a dark chuckle, Gabriel shut the door behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hahahahahahAHAHAHAHAHA _AHAHAHAHAHA **HAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAA**_ See you bitches on the weekend  >:)


	25. The Killing Joke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another early update for you! :D The furious and devastated reactions to the last two chapters have been a blessing. Thank u

At ten, Daniel’s world collapsed. Mommy and her friend were in trouble, and he couldn’t understand why. With tears rolling down his face, he watched Alistair burn. As the flames lashed his skin he screamed and writhed. Felicity screamed for him, a desperate howl of anguish. Daniel wanted to run to her, but Father Gabriel had a firm grip on his shoulder.

When Alistair finally fell silent and still, Miss Paula stepped forward and doused the flames with water. The corpse was charred, and mutilated from over an hour of torture before hand. Felicity crumbled, sobbing into her bound hands.

“ _ Mommy- _ !” Daniel tried to go to her, but Gabriel stopped him. 

Gabriel turned him and knelt. “Daniel, do you know why your mother is in trouble?”

“No!” 

“It’s because she had you, with Alistair, and members of the High Order are forbidden from bearing children.”

“I don’t understand…” Daniel sobbed.

“Alistair was your father. You’re a child born of sin. Your parents are paying for that sin.”

Daniel’s gut twisted. He wanted to vomit. Mommy had never told him who daddy was… and now daddy was dead.

“You have a choice now, Daniel.” Gabriel produced a sharp, crooked knife from beneath his robes. “You’re full of negative energies. If I kill you, Xeemug would never let you into his kingdom, even though you’re a child. If you pledge your loyalty to Him, and become a tool for spreading His gospel, you could one day be redeemed. Do you want that?”

Sobbing, Daniel nodded. He knew all about Xeemug and he knew he never wanted to fall from His favor.

“Good boy. Here’s your first test,” he handed him the knife, “Kill the sinner, Daniel, as you will do for the rest of your life.”

Daniel looked at the knife in his hands, then at his mother. Despair burned. “No! I can’t-!”

“Danny,” Felicity spoke gently, calming herself to soothe her only child. “Come here, my love. It’s okay.”

Daniel ran over. He dropped the knife and threw his arms around her neck. “Mommy, I wanna go home!”

“Sshh, I know, darling, I know. It’s okay. You’re going to be okay. Listen to me, sweetheart. Do you remember how Uncle Baron taught you how to kill a pig?”

Daniel nodded against her shoulder.

“Danny, pick up the knife and put it in my neck, just like he showed you.”

Daniel reeled back in horror. “No!”

“Shh shh, please don’t cry. Everything will be okay. Pick up the knife, Danny, please. For me.”

He cried and shook his head, but at her pleading he finally obeyed. He clutched the knife in shaking hands.

She smiled a sad smile and leaned forward, letting their foreheads rest together. She whispered her last words just to him. “Creating you could  _ never  _ have been a sin. You’re perfect, Daniel, and someday someone very special will see that. Don’t cry for us. We’ll see you among the stars, I promise, my little angel. I love you.” She kissed his forehead and settled back.

“I love you too, mommy.” Daniel swallowed and wiped his eyes. He plunged the knife into her neck as hard as he could, knowing he needed to use enough force to make this quick, so she wouldn’t suffer. Blood pooled on the floor and stained his clothes. He turned away from her and vomited.

Father Gabriel was suddenly beside him, smiling knowingly. “Good boy, Daniel. You’ll make a fine tool.”

Daniel looked up at him and held back tears. Suddenly, he felt all alone in the world, and he wanted to die with his parents. But, mother wanted him to live, and he’d do it as long as he could stand to. For her, and that special someone he would meet someday.

* * *

At fifteen, Daniel was handed his first plate. It was flat and rectangular, with words of scripture etched into the smooth wood. It was good for one question -within the rules, of course, as certain questions were forbidden- to Clara, for her to ask the Ancient Ones, and find the answer in her pot of stars.

Only one plate was given per person per year, starting at age fifteen. Daniel already knew what he wanted to ask, even if it wasn’t exactly within his right. He needed to save up for a few more years though, because he knew he had many questions pertaining to the one that nagged at him day and night.

“As a member of the High Order,” Father Gabriel explained, “We will never marry nor find love in a single person. We worship Xeemug above all else, and devote ourselves to him completely. There’s no room for family.”

“Yes, sir.” Daniel nodded, but his heart was aching.

“Worldly pleasures are encouraged for us, to fill this gap, so lay with whomever you like, as many people as you like, but never find love. Never bear children. To place anyone above Lord Xeemug is blasphemy, and you know what happens to blasphemers.”

Flashes of memory. Blood and screams and fire. 

A shiver. A nod. “Yes, I know.” 

Later that evening, Paula pulled him into her bed. He thought this might be love, but he soon learned it wasn’t. He didn’t feel many positive things toward her. After their first time, he went home and cried. After their twentieth, he stopped caring.

 

* * *

 

At eighteen, Daniel made the mistake of trusting someone too much. Adam was so handsome and so nice and Daniel wanted more than anything to feel safe and protected and loved and he knew Adam could provide that.

But, he was wrong.

When he woke up with a pounding headache and a sick gut and an ache in his hips, he knew he’d been violated. Adam kissed him and told him how good he was, but Daniel couldn’t take that to heart knowing he’d been unconscious the whole time. He hadn’t even noticed whatever Adam had slipped in his drink.

He went home and sat in a hot shower until his skin was red and raw. He considered cutting his wrists, but God he hated the blood. He couldn’t inflict wounds on people, it made him sick. Father hated that about him.

A week later he was struck with inspiration. Poison would be a great way to help people ascend, and he wouldn’t have to get his hands dirty! He could even take out multiple people at once, all so very easily!

When he told Father Gabriel, he received praise. 

Finally,  _ finally _ , he was on the right track.

* * *

 

At twenty, Daniel found hope for the first time in ten years. It was long past curfew. He sat on a wooden bench outside Clara’s cabin with his hands clasped and his legs bouncing nervously. Clutched between his hands were five rectangular plates of wood. Five questions he could ask. His heart was pounding.

The door he was waiting beside opened. He practically leapt out of his seat. “Miss Clara! Sorry- sorry to bother you, I-I-I just-”

She chuckled softly at him and stepped aside, inviting him in with a gesture, “Relax, Daniel. I see you have questions. Come in.”

“Thank you.” He nodded politely and slipped inside.

Her home was beautiful and the walls were covered with shiny and ornate decorations. Some were purely aesthetic, others were for rituals. They traveled down the hall to the secondary den. There, she had a large, wide pot full of black liquid. There were three chairs around it, and a spot where she stood. “Take a seat.” 

Daniel plopped down in the chair directly across from her.

“How many questions would you like to use tonight?”

“All of them.” He clutched the five plates. Five years of saving up for this. From the first plate he'd been handed on his fifteenth birthday, to the one given to him only a week ago for his twentieth. Five years of saving, but ten of longing. 

Her brows rose in surprise. “All of them? You only get one a year. Are you certain?”

“Yes. I… I need to know… I’m sick to my stomach worrying about it all the time… I have to know…” Daniel was trembling, his stomach in knots.

Clara smiled gently. “Alright, sweetheart. What would you like to ask?”

Daniel took a deep, shaky breath. This was forbidden from him, this single question. Father Gabriel would have his head if he ever found out… But Daniel had to know. “Miss Clara, I’m… I’m terrified of being alone… of  _ dying  _ alone…”

“But, Daniel, you’re only twenty. Your life has barely even started!”

“I know! But… But… What if something happens? What if I ascend early? I don’t want to ascend alone…” His head drooped shamefully. “I know I shouldn't be, but I’m scared of it, Clara… I want someone with me… I want to find the person I’m meant to be with… I want to ask… If I’ll find that person. Someone I’ll fall in love with, who loves me back just as much… I don’t want to be alone…” He knew he was not supposed to ask this, but it was eating at him, rotting his insides like death itself. Clara was good and kind and he trusted that she wouldn’t tell anyone, no matter what.

She gave him a sympathetic look. “I understand, Daniel. It’s okay to be scared. I won’t tell anyone. Everything discussed in this room is  _ always  _ private. You want to ask if you’ll find a soulmate?”

Daniel nodded. He pulled out one plate and put it on the table. “All I’ve ever really wanted is to find my special someone… If they don’t exist then… I guess I won’t be so afraid of ascending early…” His heart would be shattered if there was no one for him, and if that were the case then what was the point? He knew that didn’t really line up with Father Gabriel’s teachings, but he couldn’t shake these feelings. He had to know  _ something _ . If he really was meant to be alone… then he didn't want to be alone any longer.

Clara reached into a small bowl of colorful powder and took a handful. She shook it gently over the bowl, letting some fall back in, then held it over the large bowl of liquid. “If Daniel has a soulmate, will he find them?” She let the powder pour from her hand as she made a circle, then tossed the rest into the center.

Daniel sat up a little taller so he could see. The water was swirling, making the powder glitter and dance. It slowly came to a stop. Looking into the bowl was like looking into space. Breathtaking.

She stared at it, examining the patterns. After several painfully silent seconds, she smiled. “Yes, you'll find him.”

Daniel lit up, his smile wide and his eyes shining. He had a soulmate! There was someone he was meant to be with! Someone he could love and be loved by! “I will?! Him?! I-I can't believe it! When? Where? How?” He was overwhelmed with joy, with a renewed will to live, with some hope in his chest that this life wouldn’t be so listless and empty!

She chuckled. “Now now, you know the rules.”

He didn't hesitate to slap another plate onto the table. “When will I meet him?”

She repeated what she did earlier, picking up powder and pouring it into the bowl. “When will Daniel meet his soulmate?” After several seconds, she answered, “You’ll meet him before your twenty-fifth birthday.”

Another plate. “Where?”

More powder, another question. She grinned and chuckled. “Oh, they’re feeling cryptic now. When Leo is beside Aquarius, you’ll find him beneath them.”

Daniel’s shoulders drooped. “What does  _ that  _ mean?” Those constellations were on completely different sides of the sky! Two opposite seasons! They couldn't possibly end up side by side!

“You’ll know when you need to, I’m positive.”

Daniel sighed softly. Damn. He put another plate down. “What’s his name?”

“...They say he will tell you when you meet him.” She eventually answered with another little chuckle.

“Damnit!” He huffed. Cryptic fucking aliens. He looked down at the last plate in his hands. One more question. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He already knew what he wanted,  _ needed  _ to know. The plate clacked softly as he set it on the table. “My last question is… Will- will I get to spend the rest of my life with him? No- Will I ascend with him? Will we go together?” He clenched his fists, hope in his heart but fear in his gut, making his insides ache.

She grabbed more powder and poured it in. “Will Daniel and his soulmate ascend together?”

The seconds dragged by longer this time. She stared hard into the water, examining the formations. She was no longer smiling. “I’m afraid… They can’t answer that.”

Daniel’s heart dropped. “What? Why?” His tone was breathless, desperate.

She continued staring into the water. “Daniel, your life, your future, has two possible paths. You’ll be forced to pick between two things you don’t want to give up. The loss of either is going to cause you great pain, but one will ultimately bring you more happiness than the other. You may not be able to tell which is which at the time. The one you choose will change the entire course of your life so drastically from the other, that they cannot see past this divergence. The rest of your future won’t be clear until you’ve made that choice.”

Daniel sat numbly, trying to process this information. He’d never heard of such a thing before. Wasn’t everyone’s life predestined? Isn’t that how all of this worked? This wasn’t right, he couldn’t understand it. “I- I don’t understand how that’s possible…”

Clara gave him a sympathetic look. “I know, darling. This is the first time I’ve ever seen it too. I know it’s scary, but I’m certain you can overcome it. You’ve always been confident in your decisions. I know you will be for this one too.”

“They… they don’t tell you what I’m choosing between?”

“No. That’s for you to realize when the time comes.”

Daniel wilted. “Alright… Thank you, Miss Clara.”

“You’re welcome. I’m sorry I couldn’t answer your final question, but I’m happy to know you’ll find someone who means the world to you.”

Remembering that, Daniel couldn’t help a big smile. “Me too. I can’t wait to meet him. I bet he’ll be the most wonderful man in the galaxy.”

* * *

At twenty-two, he took to messing around with the two new members of the High Order. They were only seventeen, which made him a tad uncomfortable, but they invited him in and he decided he might like to try actually laying with someone of his own accord.

They seemed to like each other more than they did him, but he didn’t mind that too much. They were mostly just for practice anyway, for his soulmate.

He took to messing around with another man too; Dexter, who worked security. Daniel wasn’t as fond of being on bottom, but this was practice too, because he had no idea what his soulmate might like. If he wanted Daniel to bottom, then he’d do that for him.

He’d do anything for the man he was supposed to be with.

* * *

 

At twenty-four, he finally met his soulmate.

His name was David, and he was just as beautiful as Daniel had always hoped he would be. At first meeting, however, Daniel was none the wiser. He saw a very very cute boy he’d like to practice with. He’d gotten pretty good in bed, he’d learned what he did and didn’t like and how to make his partner feel good, and he liked to play when the opportunities arose.

It took a little persistence, but by the evening David was moaning and writhing underneath him, taking everything he had to offer. God _ damn _ he was sexy. The way he arched and clutched and begged for more. He liked it deep and Daniel was more than happy to bury his cock as deep as it would go. It was easily some of the best sex of his life.

Two rounds later they were exhausted but satisfied. Daniel pulled the other man in close and kissed his neck. He smelled like the forest. Daniel liked that.

The next morning, David asked for more. They kissed and cuddled and moved slow, gentle. Daniel rolled his hips, taking care to make David quiver and mewl. He laced their fingers together, pinning David's hands to the bed.

David moaned and tossed his head to the side. In the morning light shining down through the window, Daniel got a good look at his gorgeous face, his adorable freckles, his lean body, and saw it. That familiar pattern of dots. As if they were snatched right from the sky and laid across David's chest.

Leo.

Daniel stopped. He gripped David's hands tighter and searched his chest. 

“Daniel?” David asked softly. His chest was rising and falling with his heavy breathing. Daniel's eyes finally caught sight of it. Just to the right of Leo.

Aquarius. 

_ ‘When Leo is beside Aquarius, you’ll find him beneath them.’ _

“Daniel? Are you okay?” David wiggled and squeezed Daniel’s hands.

Daniel released them and cupped David’s face. The kiss was deep and passionate. David’s hands clutched his shoulders and pulled him close. They began moving again, slowly, gently. David moaned into the kiss and broke it. “Oh, gosh…” He breathed, “Daniel…”

“You're so beautiful, David.” Daniel whispered. He planted kisses on David's face and neck, making him giggle.

When their love-making finally reached it's climax, Daniel knew, without a doubt, David was his soulmate. This was the man he was meant to be with. This was the man he would love unconditionally, who would return his love completely. 

He wanted to cry and hold him and proclaim his love, but he knew he needed to be careful. He couldn't risk scaring David away. He had to play his cards right. Had to play it cool. This was the person he'd waited his whole life for. He wouldn't mess this up.

 

* * *

 

At only twenty-four, he didn’t expect to be a dad. In fact, he was starkly against it. But, David was adamant and Max was complacent and Daniel couldn’t find a reason to get rid of him. His mind was screaming that this kid had to go, he could rat them out any second, but he was out voted. As much as he feared being separated from David, he feared driving him away much more. He didn’t fight him. He let the child be.

It turned out, Max was smart and resourceful and a huge asset. By the time they got to New York, Daniel decided that he adored this kid, and he was excited at the prospect of being a father.

He knew he’d be in trouble when he returned home, but he didn’t care. He’d take whatever punishment Father could dish out, as long as he had his family.

 

* * *

 

At twenty-five, Daniel’s world collapsed. It shattered when the door was slammed in his face. He was left on his knees, clutching the ring he thought assured his future, locked away from the family he never wanted to be apart from.

He snapped.

All the bad things that had ever been done to him at the hands of his Father and the people he was supposed to be brethren with all came flooding in at once. How could they claim to worship Xeemug when they barely followed his Word? It was all nothing but  _ lies _ . 

Two paths. The choice was so easy it was laughable.

Father Gabriel was first.

“Good evening, Father! Sorry to bother you so late. Could I speak with you?”

He didn’t even have to lie to get in the door. He didn’t break his stride as he headed straight for the kitchen. There were lots of knives there. He grabbed a long, sleek one.

Gabriel soon entered the kitchen and froze. “Daniel,” his voice was stern and even, “What’re doing?”

“Admiring your collection. Father, do you think I still deserve to be happy after what a failure I’ve been my whole life?”

Gabriel allowed himself to relax. He knew quite well that Daniel could hardly stand to cut into flesh. “Your failures are merely the result of the sin you were born from. The child must bear the burden of the sins of their parents. I believe you still have a good chance of standing beside Xeemug in our next life. I believe you should be able to achieve happiness in this life. I believe you can do both of those things, so long as you always follow His rules and be His tool for enlightenment.”

Daniel nodded thoughtfully. “I believe you’re right. My faith has been shaken recently though, Father. I have fears and doubts… I don’t want to ascend alone. I know you don’t have much fondness for David, and I understand… But, don’t you think he and I could work things out? I know he could make amazing contributions, Father. You should see him use a knife!” He chuckled softly and waved the knife back and forth. “I never could be so creative as he is.”

Gabriel hummed and gave him a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, Daniel, but I don’t believe that you and David are good together. Xeemug would not approve, and it’s not in His plan for you.”

“Oh…” Daniel’s smile fell, “What do you suggest I do? I love him so much, Father…”

“I know you do, Daniel. I know. But, if you really loved him, you’d help him ascend. He’ll be better suited to serve Xeemug in the next life, I think.”

“Oh… I see. I thought you might say something like that.” He smiled again, “In fact, I was counting on it! I’d hate to be unjustified in my actions.”

Gabriel opened his mouth to demand an explanation, but his words never came. Daniel’s movements were quick and precise. With a flick of his wrist that long knife was flung across the kitchen and buried several inches in Gabriel’s gut. He clutched his stomach and gasped.

“ _ That _ was for David, and all the shit I know you’ve had a hand in putting him through.” Daniel’s smile grew, becoming twisted with insanity. He grabbed two more knives; a huge serrated one and a smaller, thin one. “This next one is for my son, and every other kid you’ve handed to Paula!”

Gabriel gasped and ran for his office. There was a gun in there. He could take Daniel down easily if-

Daniel was fast. When had he gotten so fast? 

Gabriel cried out in pain when the thin knife punctured his lower back, ripping through one of the disks in his spine. He hit the floor on his side and moaned in pain.

Daniel tore the knife out and forced Gabriel onto his back. “ _ This _ is for making  _ my  _ life a living Hell!” He slashed it across Gabriel’s face, tearing through his nose and both cheeks. He dropped that knife and lifted the serrated one. “ _ This _ is for my  _ mother _ !” It bit into Gabriel’s gut, tearing a huge, gaping wound. When Gabriel’s body tense and he contorted in pain, his intestines bulged out of the hole.

Daniel dropped the knife and walked away. Gabriel gasped and choked and gagged. “Daniel-!” he gasped, “Please! Mercy!”

Daniel returned a moment later from his little visit to the fireplace. He had a can of kerosene and a box of matches. With a neutral expression, he poured the kerosene on Gabriel, then tossed the can aside when it was empty. “ _ This _ is for the man I never got to know as my father, and for the mercy you did  _ not  _ show him or my mother.” He struck a match and dropped it.

Flames engulfed Gabriel, drawing horrid screams of agony from him. Daniel stepped back and silently watched him burn. The man who’d raised him most of his life slowly cooked to death before his very eyes. Just a few months ago, having to witness such a thing would have killed him. Now, he felt nothing, not for this man. All those years of manipulation, of brainwashing, could not overshadow how Daniel felt deep down inside. It didn’t matter how much he loved Father Gabriel. Deep down he could never,  _ ever  _ forgive him for what he’d done. He  _ hated  _ this man.

Gabriel rolled and writhed and struggled and screamed, but eventually he went still, silent. For half an hour, Daniel merely watched him burn away, until an unrecognizable corpse remained. The smell was putrid, but he was unfazed. 

Eventually, he put the flames out. No sense letting the house burn. It would alert the town to an issue, and he still had work to do.

He knew this house well. He’d lived in it for five years, being raised by the man who’d sentenced his parents to death. Gabriel kept certain supplies in hidden rooms, and they would serve Daniel well. One of the rooms was in Gabriel’s study behind a bookcase. It had been several years since Daniel had accessed it, so he had to yank out a few wrong books before finding the correct one. The door clicked and opened behind the case.

The room was no bigger than a standard closet. Inside were narrow shelves lined across three walls. On them were jars and vials and bottles of various substances, mostly poisons and their antidotes, all labelled of course. Anyone who created a new poison was required to also create an antidote for it, and had to give samples of both to Gabriel. Some of Daniel’s own special mixes were among the stash. 

A spray bottle full of white liquid sat on a bottom shelf. “Ch-X” a very, very potent form of chloroform. It had taken weeks and a lot of accidental dousing -which in turn caused a lot of headaches and bruises from hitting the floor- to perfect it, but it was worth it. It worked much faster than chloroform and could be used as a spray. Perfect for what he had planned for a certain someone.

He grabbed the bottle and a little white mask, then left the room. There were sets of keys in Gabriel’s desk, duplicates for all the houses. He dug through them, quickly locating the three sets he would need. He went through the kitchen and grabbed a few knives, then left the house. 

His feet carried him swiftly down the hill. Street lights illuminated his path. Adam’s lights were still on inside his house. Probably up watching some game or a fight or something. It didn’t matter. Daniel crept up the porch and unlocked the door carefully, quietly.

He entered the house without alerting the owner. Adam was standing in his living room, yelling at the TV.

“Come on, Bisping, you stupid son of a bitch! Hit ‘em!” 

Daniel walked silently up behind him. “Adam.” He didn’t have to yell to be heard, being so close and all.

Adam tensed, then spun around. He didn’t have time to register who was in his house before Daniel hit him with a face-full of thick mist. Adam gasped and coughed and stumbled and fell. Out by the time he hit the floor.

Daniel smiled beneath his mask. He tossed it and the bottle aside. With a grunt and a heave, he was able to lift Adam enough to drag him up the stairs. The middle room was where he was headed, and he made it there within several minutes. When he entered, he came face-to-face with that goddamn machine again. The very one that had bruised and violated him years earlier, like it had so many others like him. It consisted of a cushioned seat meant to be laid on, with a motor on one end attached to a long rod, which it could then thrust at any speed. Any number of toys could be attached to the end of the rod. If something too large was attached, the machine was powerful enough to force it inside, leaving the poor human on the other end of it at the mercy of the machine and whoever was controlling it.

And tonight, Adam would learn what it felt like to be on the receiving end of that Hellish device.

Daniel hoisted him onto the seat. There were straps for the arms and chest, and two metal stirrups to hold the legs up and still. He tied everything as tightly as he could. It was important that Adam didn’t escape at any point.

It would be an hour or more until he woke up. Until then, Daniel had other people to deal with. He left Adam bound to the machine and locked up the house as he exited. 

Just down the road was his next stop. It wouldn’t take long. He unlocked the door and slipped right in. All the lights downstairs were off, but upstairs he could see light. The steps creaked softly as he crept up them, but the occupants didn’t notice. The master bedroom was open. Two people were in the bed. Daniel already knew what they were up to.

“Lewis-!” Ross moaned and arched off the bed, clutching the sheets.

Lewis giggled and wiggled the vibrator, making his brother squirm. “Oh, you like that, huh?”

“I’m so close, please just-”

“ **Knock knock** .”

They both jumped and grabbed sheets to cover themselves. When they saw Daniel, they barely relaxed.

“How did you get in?” Lewis asked.

Ross grinned, “Did you want another threesome?”

Daniel smiled pleasantly and walked over to them. “Actually, I just wanted to ask you both something.”

They glanced at one another, weary.

“When I came home this afternoon, you two were sitting out on your porch, like you often do. I couldn’t help but wonder… how did you not see or hear all the commotion?”

They hesitated. “W-what commotion?”

“We just got outside when you-”

“ **Don’t.** Lie to me.” His stern tone made them jolt. “I  _ know  _ you must have seen what happened. I  _ know  _ you like encouraging newbies to go to Adam’s parties. You  _ sick  _ little  _ fucks  _ get off on it, don’t you? You told David to go to Adam, I  _ know  _ you did, because  _ I  _ told him  _ not  _ to. Then you sat back and enjoyed the show, didn’t you?”

They curled closer together. “We would never-”

“DON’T LIE TO ME!” He grabbed Ross’s arm and dragged him out of bed. The twins were both screaming. He pinned Ross against his chest and held a knife to his neck. “YOU TRIED TO GET HIM RAPED, DIDN’T YOU?!”

“YES! YES!” Lewis sobbed, “ _ Please _ don’t hurt him!”

“Father told us to do whatever we had to to drive him out!” Ross confessed through tears, “We didn’t dislike him! It was nothing personal! Father told  _ all  _ of us to drive him away! I swear I  _ swear _ !!”

Daniel wasn’t surprised by this new information, but was still hurt and angry. So, Gabriel would stoop low enough to recruit people in his little scheme. Should have tortured him longer.

“Please let Ross go! We’re  _ sorry _ , we  _ swear _ !” Lewis begged.

Daniel scoffed, then smiled. “Yes, you  _ are  _ pretty sorry. Sorry little pieces of  _ filth _ .” With a single fluid motion he sliced Ross’ neck wide open, then dropped him. He writhed on the floor and clutched his neck. Lewis dove to the floor, screaming, and tried to help him, but Daniel grabbed him by the hair and wrenched his head back. The knife cut through his neck just as easily as it had his brother’s. Daniel dropped him and stepped back. Calmly, he cleaned the knife off on his shirt while he waited for them to die. 

As usual, it didn’t take long. They laid unmoving in a heap on the floor. Blood soaked into a wide area in the carpet. 

They were much lighter than Adam. He could easily drag them both out of the house and up the street. Their bodies were deposited in Gabriel’s front room, right beside his charred corpse.

Just one more old friend to visit. A few demented giggles slipped out of him, indicative of his further descent into madness. He left the house again and walked back down the sidewalk. He stepped through the trails of blood a few times, leaving bloody footprints, but he was beyond caring. He was already covered in blood anyway.

Paula’s house was dark. At this hour, she would be asleep, ready to get up early in the morning to go teach. Daniel entered and didn’t even both to shut the door behind him. Fuck it.

He was right, she was sleeping soundly in bed. There was no point in waking her up, at least not kindly. He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out of bed. In a second, she was screaming and kicking and fighting to escape. Her nails dug into his wrist, but he was hardly phased. He dragged her to the stairs, stood her up, then shoved.

Her screams stopped halfway down. When she hit the bottom, she fell into a crumpled mess on her stomach. He more leisurely descended after her and knelt beside her at the bottom. She was groaning in pain.

“Evening, Paula.” Daniel greeted politely. “Seems you had a bit of a fall there. You should really watch your step.”

“Danny…” she whimpered, “I didn’t touch Max, I swear I didn’t. I never will, I swear.”

“You know, it’s funny how honest people suddenly become when they’re facing death. I always prefered to be as honest as possible  _ without  _ the fear of death. Do you think that’s why I never fit in?”

“Please… help me… I’ll stop teaching… I’ll never look at a child ever again, I swear… Help me…”

“Hmmmm…” Daniel tapped his chin in thought. “You know, my memory is a little hazy, but I seem to recall my father -my real father- begging you for help. Did you help him? Please refresh my memory.”

She began crying softly, “Please, Daniel….”

“ _ Did you  _ **_help_ ** _ him, Paula? _ ” Daniel snarled through gritted teeth.

She sobbed. “No, I couldn’t, Father-”

“Oh, that’s right! You  _ didn’t _ . You set him on  _ fire _ .”

She didn’t respond, merely sobbed weakly.

A smile returned to his face. “But, don’t worry, Paula. I won’t set you on fire, or cut your throat open. I’m going to help you up. Since we’re such good friends, you and I.” 

Again, she didn’t respond.

He grabbed her hair and lifted her head several inches, then let go. Her face smacked the floor painfully. She screamed, then began crying louder.

“Oops! Silly me. Let me try again.” He grabbed her hair tightly and lifted again, but this time he didn’t let go. He slammed her face into the wooden floor, causing a sickening thud. Then, he did it again. And again and again and again. Over and over, each time using more force, more rage, until the wood started cracking. When he finally stopped, her face was nothing but a bloody pulp. Her body was limp. Dead.

He dragged her by her ankle out of the house. To Gabriel’s she went, laid out beside the other three.

One little loose end to tie up and he was done.

With a bounce in his step he went back to Adam’s. Adam was still tied down, but his soft groans indicated he was coming around. Perfect! Daniel leaned over the motor and waited with a smile.

When Adam was finally lucid he locked eyes with Daniel. “D-Daniel? How- Where-” He looked around, trying to gain his bearings.

“Evening, Adam! I’m so glad you’re finally awake! I have a very fun night planned for us!” Daniel said in a chipper tone.

Adam figured out where he was. Dread filled him when he realized he couldn’t move. “Daniel. Let me go.”

“Why would I do that? I worked so hard to get you here! You’re very heavy, you know.”

“Daniel! When Father hears about this, he’s going to kill you!”

Daniel hummed in thought, “Mm, I don’t think he can hear anything right now. His ears are melted off. Oh! And he’s dead.” He smiled, “Just like you’ll be in a few hours!”

“Danny-” Adam gasped, voice trembling, “Come on now. Don’t do this. I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry for  _ everything _ . Let’s talk this out.”

“I’m done talking.” Daniel said. His smile became forced, twisted, and mania flashed in his eyes. “You tried to kill my son and rape my soulmate. You have to pay for that. No one’s here to protect you anymore…” He leaned in and with a quick swipe of the knife he sliced a large hole in Adam’s pants, exposing his rear. “And neither are your pants! Strap in, because we have a wild night ahead of us!” 

He cackled, high-pitched, with insanity as his treble and fury as his bass. By the time he was done tonight, Adam would be begging him for the sweet release of death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll... we got like 2 chapters left. Holy shit.
> 
> I wonder how- I wonder _if_ Daniel and David will reconcile... I guess we'll find out :)


	26. Blood on the Altar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it... this is the moment you've waited for... will they get back together, or are they going their separate ways? LET'S FIND OUT

When David awoke the next morning, there was a moment of blissful unawareness, where everything was still fine and he was warm and safe with his family. But, the fog of sleep wore off quickly. He sat up in bed and stared down at Max, who was curled around his bear with tear streaks down his face. David stroked his hair for a while. 

Once he was out of bed he went to the bathroom. He was a mess. A fucking mess. He took off his shirt, thinking a shower might help, then froze when he saw his chest in the mirror. Sharpie lines between constellations. He gripped the counter to steady himself, but broke down. It didn’t matter that he’d cried himself dry the previous night. Today was a new day, and fresh tears were ready. He fell to his knees and sobbed against the counter.

Maybe he’d fucked up. Maybe he’d overreacted. Maybe he’d thrown his one chance at happiness away. But, maybe Daniel deserved someone better anyway. They couldn’t stay here. They just couldn’t.

“Dad?” Max’s soft voice drew him out of his despair.

David wiped his eyes and smiled softly at the little boy standing in the doorway. “Sorry. How are you, Max?”

“Sad.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Are you guys going to make up soon?”

“I don’t know, Max. It depends on if Daniel leaves with us or not.”

“I don’t want to leave though. What about Preston?”

“I plan on killing Paula on the way out. Don’t worry.”

“But, I still want to stay. I want two dads and a nice house and my boyfriend and friends.”

“We’ll find them somewhere else-”

“How?! Isn’t Daniel your soulmate?! You can’t just-”

“Max!” David finally snapped, “Just go pack your things, okay?! We’re leaving and that’s final!”

“I want to stay!” Max yelled.

“We’re  _ not  _ staying, Max!”

“Why not?! Why can’t you just make up like you always do-!”

“It’s too late for that! It’s not safe here!”

“It’s not safe  _ anywhere  _ for us! I wanna stay  _ here _ ! I wanna stay  _ together _ !”

“No!”

“Why not?!”

“Because I’m your father and I  _ said  _ so!”

“ _ You’re not even my real dad!! _ ”

David gasped. The words cut him far worse than any knife ever had. His lip trembled. “Max-”

“I  _ hate  _ you!” Max cried, “At least Daniel’s trying to keep us together! You just wanna tear us apart!  _ I hate you! _ ” With tears in his eyes, Max ran from the room. A second later his door slammed shut.

David let out a shuddering sigh and forced his legs to stand. He let himself cry in the shower, mourning the idyllic life he’d most likely be losing. He feared that Gabriel was right, that Daniel wouldn't hesitate to choose the church over his family. So far, it seemed as if that would certainly the case.

When he finally got himself under control and cleaned up, he climbed out and dressed. Despite his better judgement, he chose some of Daniel’s clothing to wear. Bleached jeans and a soft white soft. He brought it to his face and took a deep breath, letting Daniel’s scent fill and comfort him.

This was a bad idea. This was a  _ terrible  _ idea. He and Daniel were soulmates. They were nothing if they were apart. He should have never sent Daniel away. Goddamnit, one way or another he was going to make this work, even if he had to murder the entire fucking church!

David hurried from the room, only briefly stopping by Max’s door. “Max, I’ll be right back! Don’t go anywhere!” He called to an empty room. Little did he know, Max had long since made an escape out the window, and snuck behind the houses and right out of the gates between them and the rest of town.

David hustled down the stairs and practically ran out the front door. As he was leaving the porch he pulled out his cellphone to call Daniel, but stopped dead in his tracks.

Was that… blood… on the sidewalk…?

Cautiously, he walked to the street. Sure enough, there was a trail of blood leading up the hill. It came from one of the houses… Adam’s house… There was another trail too, from Paula’s home. Upon further investigation, he found two more, both coming from Ross and Lewis’ place.

Oh, dear. This was interesting.

He followed the trails to Gabriel’s mansion. The door was ajar. When he entered, he could smell death in the air. There were burn marks on the floor and a massive pool of blood. The trails all led into the pool, then left as one. The new trail led through the house toward the back, into a large room that looked like a tiny church. There were a few pews, an altar, a massive cross with a four-sided star shape behind it, and a thrown just beneath that. Everything was bloody. That, however, was not what made David stop in his tracks, skin prickling.

Hanging from the rafters were four bodies, each with a noose around their neck. Ross and Lewis had their throats slashed wide open. A female he had to assume was Paula had her face smashed so severely she was unrecognizable. It didn’t even look like a face anymore… Adam’s corpse was the most mutilated. There were stab wounds on his chest, and everything below the ribs… well, it looked like someone had taken a meat grinder to it all. His legs were hanging on by some flaps of skin. His abdomen and groin region were basically gone, ripped to shreds, and his organs hung out from beneath his ribs. 

There was a fifth body, strung up on the cross. It was burned beyond recognition, but by process of elimination David knew it was Gabriel.

Beneath him sat Daniel, in the ornate throne. His hands clutched the ends of the armrests and his leg was bouncing and he was either muttering to himself or laughing softly. He was covered head to toe in blood. His head was bowed. He didn’t notice David come in.

Hesitantly, David took a few steps forward. “Daniel…?”

With an audible crack, Daniel’s head snapped up. His blue eyes were alight with insanity. He smiled a smile that seemed too big for his face. “David!” Swiftly, he stood from the chair and crossed the room, “I was just about to come get you!”

David took a step back, feeling more than a little scared. But, his fears melted away when Daniel embraced him, hugging him tightly, like a drowning man clinging to a buoy. “I love you  _ so much _ , David,  **_so much_ ** !  _ Look  _ what I  _ did  _ for you!  **_Look_ ** _ what I  _ **_did_ ** _ for you! _ ” He kept one arm tightly around David’s waist and gestured with the other to the room. “See! I  _ told  _ you I could fix it!  _ I fixed  _ **_everything_ ** ! They were standing between us so I  _ killed  _ them! I killed  _ all  _ of them!  _ All for you _ !” He suddenly grabbed David’s wrist in a vice-grip, “ _ So now you can  _ **_stay_ ** _ , David!  _ **_You can stay_ ** _! You and Max can stay here with me, forever, where it’s  _ **_safe_ ** _!  _ **_I can keep you_ ** **_safe_ ** **_here, David! If you’ll just stay I can do that for you!_ ** ” His whole demeanor suddenly shifted, wilting. His smile fell and his grip went slack and his shoulders drooped and there was sadness in his eyes. “Please stay David, please. We could be so happy here.”

Any normal person would be terrified. Daniel was clearly insane, clearly dangerous, but David didn’t care. He threw his arms around Daniel, hugging him tightly and clutching the back of his shirt desperately. “Of  _ course  _ I’ll stay! I love you  _ so much _ ! I’m so  _ sorry _ , Danny! I’m so  _ sorry  _ I  _ pushed  _ you  _ away  _ like that!”

Daniel held him just as tightly, “It’s okay! I  _ forgive  _ you! I needed the push anyway, otherwise I would’ve been too  _ weak  _ to do what needed to be done! I love you _ so much _ , David!”

They clung to each other, sharing a tearful reunion, complete with desperate kisses and nuzzles. 

Eventually, Daniel let out a soft chuckle. “I see you’re wearing my clothes… Stealing my heart wasn’t enough, huh? You tried to leave with some of my clothes too?”

David giggled and nuzzled him, “Sorry. You just have such good taste.”

“Thank you. Can I…” his voice took a more serious tone, “Could I give you your ring back?”

“Yes!” David lit up and offered Daniel his hand, “Yes, please, please.” 

Daniel kissed his cheek and let go. He went to take the ring off his finger, then paused. His hands were bloody. “Do you want to wash it first-?”

“No! I want to wear it now. I can wash it later.”

Daniel chuckled, “Okay.” He slid David’s ring off his finger and gently took David’s hand. It slipped right on. A perfect fit for his perfect partner.

* * *

Daniel had to take off almost all of his clothing at the porch and leave it in the grass. Otherwise, he’d get blood all over the house. They went upstairs together. “Where’s Max?” Daniel asked at the top.

“In his room.”

“Can I see him?”

“You head to the shower and I’ll get him. You’ve got blood all over you still so I don’t want him hugging you.” He didn’t feel like having to wash Max’s clothes along with theirs, plus who knows what sort of diseases those people might have, especially Adam. Couldn’t risk it.

Daniel nodded in understanding and headed into their bathroom. David knocked on Max’s door. “Max? I’m back. Daniel’s home too. We’re not leaving or separating. I’m  _ so  _ sorry for what I put you through, Max. I love you.”

No response. 

He hesitated, not wanting to cross a line. “I… I understand if you’re still mad at me. Can I come in though? Just to make sure you’re okay? We don’t have to talk.”

No response.

“Max?”

No response.

Slowly, he opened the door. He found a vacant room with an open window. His heart dropped into his stomach. “Oh God no…” He backed out of the room. When had Max left? What should he do? Should he tell Daniel or just-

He jolted when his phone rang. He scrambled to get it out of his pocket. ‘Maxy Max’ was calling. Holy shit, how could he have forgotten that Max had a cellphone? “Max!” He gasped when he answered, “Baby, where are you?!”

_“Good morning, David!”_ chirped a familiar voice, _“Sounds like I reached you just in time! I found the_ _ cutest little boy on my porch today.” _

“Clara?” 

_ “Yes! Max is here, he’s fine. He was very upset this morning but we’ve had a nice chat and some pie and he’s feeling better. Daniel’s home, right? You two can come pick him up just whenever! We’re having fun over here.” _

“Oh, thank God…” David breathed a sigh of relief and had to lean against the wall. “Could I talk to him? Please?”

_“Sure. Max, David wants to talk to you.”_ There were a few seconds of silence, then, _“Hi, dad.”_

“Max! Max, I was so  _ worried… _ ”

_ “Sorry.” _

“It’s okay…  _ I’m  _ the one who’s sorry, Max. I should’ve done a lot of things differently. I just panicked and- well, that’s no excuse for what I put you through. I’m  _ so  _ sorry.”

_ “It’s okay. I know you were just scared. I’m sorry I said you weren’t my dad and that I hated you. You  are my dad, and I  love you.” _

David smiled, “I love you too, Max. And so does Daniel. He’s home and we’re not separating or leaving. As soon as he’s out of the shower, we’ll come get you.”

_ “Okay. You  have to try some of this pie when you get here. Holy shit, dad.  Holy shit.  I thought I hated pie.” _

David laughed, “Okay, I will. Please tell Clara thanks. I love you.”

_ “I will. Love you too, dad.” _

A few moments later David was shedding his clothes in the bathroom, putting them in a hamper where he could deal with  _ that  _ mess  _ later _ . Daniel was already in the shower. “Where’s Max?”

“Uh, at Clara’s, apparently.”

“Oh… Is he okay?”

“Yeah, he’s good now. We had an argument this morning.”

Daniel hummed. “I don’t think any of us have had a good couple days…”

David climbed into the shower with him. “No… But it’ll be better now.” He smiled and wrapped his arms around Daniel’s waist. “I’ve been really snappy lately, and I’m sorry. I’ll be better, I swear.”

Daniel smiled and pulled David more firmly against him, “It’s okay. I’ve been pretty defensive about things too. I’m sorry, and I’ll be better. I promise.”

They kissed, soft and sweet. David helped Daniel wash his hair and his back. There was blood all over him, behind his ears and in every crease of his body. David washed him thoroughly, until the water stopped running pink. They climbed out and dried. David finally noticed that Daniel was swaying slightly, and his paleness made the bags under his eyes pretty noticeable.

“You okay?” David asked softly.

Daniel hummed. His eyes slipped shut and he swayed again.

“Oh, babe, you were up all night, weren’t you?” It hadn’t occurred to him until just then, that of course Daniel had been awake all night.

He hummed again.

“Poor baby.” David kissed him sweetly and took him by the hand. He gently led him into the bedroom and helped him get some underwear. “Why don’t you go to bed, and I’ll go get Max?”

“Okay.” Daniel collapsed on the bed and didn’t move.

David chuckled. “Come on now. Let’s get you comfortable.”

Daniel whined, but complied. He let David help him under the covers and found a comfortable position. “Thank you. I love you. Be careful,” he muttered.

“You’re welcome. I love you too. I will.” David kissed his cheek. By the time he got dressed he could hear Daniel snoring softly. 

 

* * *

 

David returned an hour later with Max and plenty of pie. He tucked it in the refrigerator for a nice snack later. 

They found hoses and a power washer in the garage. All the blood on the street would surely attract a whole host of insects, and they just couldn’t have that. While Daniel slept, Max and David worked on cleaned up the street. When it was finally clean enough to be virtually unnoticeable, they headed home and cleaned themselves up. David figured that Paula and the twins’ houses were salvageable with some heavy cleaning and carpet and wood replacements. Adam’s would be far more difficult. One room was soaked with blood, splattered up the walls and across the ceiling. He didn’t want to know what Daniel had done to him. 

Gabriel’s house was a complete mess. He didn’t let Max inside to see. It would take a great deal of work to fix it. David would prefer to just burn the whole thing to the ground.

By 2pm, Daniel was up and overjoyed to see his family. David cooked grilled cheese for lunch and listened to Daniel in the living room tell Max aaalll about his night. How he’d killed each person and strung them up in Gabriel’s house. Thankfully, he glossed over whatever he’d done to Adam, just mentioning that he’d spent a number of hours with him.

That was dark, but also very hot.

David carried the plate of grilled cheese sandwiches into the living room and settled on the couch with his family. The television was on. Wheel of Fortune. 

“What now?” Max questioned as he took a sandwich. “Will he have to leave?”

Daniel shook his head, “No, we won’t be leaving. I- I’ll set up a meeting in the church tonight, and clear things up. I imagine people are already wondering where the High Order has gone, since their duties aren’t being completed right now. The kids in Paula’s class probably aren’t complaining though.”

“We’ll have to replace them, won’t we?” David asked. “Someone has to do those duties.”

“Yes. I can take over Gabriel’s duties. I lived with him for a while, so I know what they were, and I know the book better than he  _ ever  _ did.” He scoffed at that. “If you still want to teach, I think you should. You can take over Paula’s position. She was also in charge of coordinating with other evangelists on the outside, as well as loose members and the other compounds. Does that sound like something you’d want to do?”

“Sure!” David smiled, “I’d love to.”

“Great.” Daniel smiled and kissed him. “We’ll get the rest of it figured out later. I need to consult with Clara, and I’d like a more open discussion at the meeting. I think we need a few adjustments to the rules… It’ll take a while for things to get back to normal, but I know we can handle it. Especially if we’re together.”

David practically melted against him. He nuzzled his shoulder and rested his cheek against it. He felt happy, content, safe. As long as they were together, they were unstoppable. They’d do this together, they’d keep this place functioning and settle right in. They could be happy here together, as a family, for many, many years.

Then, they could spend eternity together among the stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's right. It's the end! The end of the story and the beginning of the rest of their lives together <3
> 
> "But AA" I hear you saying "You mentioned there was TWO chapters left. This is just one!"
> 
> Yeah, bitches. Get ready for the EPILOGUE


	27. Til Death Do Us Part

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took a little while, but here's the Epilogue! Enjoy!

June. Warm, breezy, peaceful. The air was fresh and smelled of wood. The leaves on the trees rustled softly and birds were nesting among them. Within those massive trees was a brand new structure, finished just a few months before. 

A large barn, meant not for animals but as a gathering place for people. It was just a mile off the road leading into the compound, and was easily accessible by car while still maintaining a private sort of feel. There were tables and pews inside, and tall rafters from which tiny lights hung, creating a glittering ceiling of stars. There were vines hanging down too, as well as wrapped around several pillars. Centered in the back of the barn was a stage, and behind it was a hallway connecting four small rooms.

Vases of flowers sat in the middle of each table. Whites and blues and soft greens. They decorated the pillars and walls as well. People filled the chairs and pews, all dressed for the occasion.

A wedding.

In one of the back rooms, David stood nervously in front of a massive mirror. His hands were clasped tightly in front of him, but no matter how hard he squeezed he was still shaking. His heart was pounding in his eardrums.

“You need to relax,” Dexter said as he fixed David's pale green bowtie. “You're gonna start sweating and get pit stains.”

“That doesn't help.” 

Dexter chuckled, “Sorry, Dave.” He smacked David's butt as he stepped around him.

David jolted and gave him a stern look. “You better keep that to the bedroom or Daniel's going to have your head.”

He laughed. “I'll keep that in mind.” He opened the door slightly, peaking out.

David looked himself over in the mirror. He looked pretty darn good in his tux. The jacket and pants were pale green, and the undershirt was white with frills. His hair was neat and combed back, and he had a boutonniere pinned to his chest, made up of white, blue, and green flowers. Looking his best on his special day.

In another backroom down the hall, Daniel was staring at his own reflection. A white tux with light blue accents, perfect hair, and a light blue bowtie. On his chest was pinned a boutonniere matching David’s. He was wringing his hands anxiously. The lack of a ring worsened his anxiety. “What if he backs out?”

“Why would he?” Jen almost laughed at the absurdity of it. She finished fixing up his collar and stepped back.

“I don't know! It's just something I'm worried about!”

“Well, don't be.” She peaked out the door and spotted Dexter doing the same on the other side. He gave her a thumbs up and she returned it. “Okay,” she grabbed Daniel’s shoulders, “Let's go.” She pushed him out of the room and directed him toward the stage. There was an area on either side of it that worked as a sort of cubby, where someone could stand and be hidden until they walked onto the stage. Jen stopped him there and pulled a blindfold out of her little purse, since the dress had no pockets.

“I’m going to pass out,” Daniel said.

“No you’re not.” Jen tied the fabric around his eyes, rendering him blind.

On the other side of the stage, Dexter was doing the same to David.

“You better not make me trip,” David warned teasingly as his vision was obscured.

“Hm, I might do that on purpose, just so I can catch you and say you fell for me,” Dexter replied playfully.

“I’m serious, Daniel _will_ murder you if you say stuff like that in front of other people.”

Dexter laughed and put his hands on David’s shoulders, “Don’t worry. Our threesome’s are a tight-lipped secret. Ready?”

David took a deep breath. “Ready.”

Music began to play. The chorus of ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ on the organ, soft and slow and sweet. Dexter squeezed his shoulders in reassurance, then gently guided him forward.

Wood soon became carpet, the gorgeous white one draped across the stage and down the aisle. The delicate scent of flowers permeated the air. Footsteps across the stage, on either side, meant they were being walked out in unison.

Then, they were stopped. The music briefly swelled. Blindfolds were removed. Eyes opened.

They were standing center stage, before a wide arch of lights and flowers. Clara stood under the arch, dressed in flowing white robes and a crown of flowers in her long hair. In her hands was an open book, and standing right in front of her was Max. He wore a tux of blues and greens and clutched in his hands was a cushion holding two rings.

On either side of the arch were a few people. Friends they’d gained in the last few months. All in formal wear. Dexter and Jen stood among them.

David and Daniel finally saw each other for the first time in hours. It had felt like an eternity. It was the first they’d seen one another in their tuxes too. Both were in awe, smiling brighter than all the stars in the sky. David reached up to wipe some tears away. Daniel did not wipe his own away. He offered his hands to David. David happily accepted. They clasped, squeezed, held. 

The music softened and stopped when the chorus ended. Clara began reading from her book.

“We’re gathered here today to celebrate the union of David and Daniel, under the watchful eyes of Xeemug, and to be witnesses and supporters of the commitment they will share. Marriage gives permanence and structure to a couple’s love. It’s a way to tell one another that no matter how tough the going gets, no matter what adversity may come to face, no matter how tired times may become, we’re still in this together. Marriage is telling the person you love that you’re not going anywhere and that’s a powerful commitment for two people to make to one another.

“A good marriage must be built on the foundation of this commitment. It is never being too old to hold hands. It is remembering to say, “I love you” at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is standing together and facing the world. It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is not only marrying the right partner — it is _being_ the right partner.

“The road that has brought David and Daniel here today hasn’t been easy. It’s been filled with challenges that they weren’t necessarily prepared for. But together they’ve taken each one on and have used those experiences to strengthen, not weaken their love. In the eyes of Xeemug, they have proven their love time and time again, and are therefore encouraged and welcomed into their unity, as partners, as lovers, as friends, and as parents.

“David, Daniel. The vows you are about to make are a way to express your love and commitment to one another in your own words. Daniel, as the Head of the Church, would you like to go first?”

Daniel nodded. He let go of David’s hands to reach into his pocket. He opened a piece of paper and cleared his throat. He did his best not to sound nervous as he spoke, “David… Before I met you I didn’t really have a _reason_ to live. I had a _purpose_ , but not a real something or someone to give my life the _substance_ I desired. When I met you, I met my other half. You complete me. You strengthen me and guide me and fill my blank world with color. You’ve shown me more love than I deserve, and I intend to spend my life with you giving you _all_ the love you _do_ deserve. You’re an amazing father, a loving partner, and an incredibly intelligent, talented, and supportive person. I love you, forever and always.” He swallowed a lump in his throat and had to wipe his eyes before tucking the paper back into his pocket.

David had to wipe his eyes as well. He was still smiling like a fool. When Clara asked him for his vows, he too withdrew paper from his pocket. Taking a steadying breath, he read, “Daniel… My life before we met was pretty good, but I always knew I was just following the steps, just sort of existing as best I could without much thought on my future. After just a few days with you, I could suddenly picture it so clearly. I knew what I wanted and where I wanted to be and who I wanted to share every experience with. You’ve given my life purpose. You’ve given my life hope. You’re my best friend, partner, lover, and soulmate. An eternity is a long time to plan ahead for, but I already know I’ll be spending it with you. I love you, forever and always.” He let out a little laugh and quickly tucked the paper away again.

Clara looked between them with a kind smile, then resumed. “David and Daniel will now exchange rings to symbolize their commitment. The rings are a visible sign to others that each man has committed himself to another. Maxwell, if you please.”

Max stepped forward and held up the cushion. Daniel smiled affectionately at him, then took David’s ring. 

“Daniel, please take David’s hand and repeat these words.”

Daniel did so, holding his partner’s hand delicately and staring into his beautiful green eyes.

“I give you this ring as a symbol of our love… for today, tomorrow, and all the days to come… Wear it as a sign of what we have promised on this day… and know that my love is present, even when I am not.”

Daniel carefully repeated each phrase after her, then gently slipped the ring on David’s finger. They clasped hands tightly but briefly, then it was David’s turn. He repeated the vows and slipped the ring on Daniel’s finger. They clasped hands again, firm and reassuring.

“By sharing your vows and exchanging rings here today you both have decided to share the rest of your lives together. You are no longer two separate people but one couple together. This unity is symbolized through the pouring of these two individual containers of sand. One, representing you, David, and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be, and the other representing you, Daniel, and all that you were and all that you are, and all that you will ever be.”

Dexter quickly fetched a tray with three glass containers. One contained a soft blue sand, another a teal green, and the third and tallest stood empty. It was a vase-shaped container that was completely clear, save for a thin ring of gold around the rim. Dexter brought the tray over. David and Daniel eached picked up one full container.

Clara said, “As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be, united as one for all of your days.”

They poured together, carefully, until the two containers were empty and the third was full. The two colors were beautifully meshed together inside, forever inseparable. Dexter carefully carried the tray back to its table, then they resumed.

“David, Daniel, you have professed your love by exchanging your vows. You have symbolized your commitment by exchanging rings. And you have expressed the end of your individual lives by the pouring of the unity sand. Now, I must ask each of you for your final words…” She turned slightly toward David. “David – do you take Daniel to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others but Xeemug, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” David said, his smile bright.

She turned to Daniel. “Daniel – do you take David to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others but Xeemug, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” Daniel said, his tone bordering on giddy.

Clara centered herself again. “By the power vested in me by Lord Xeemug, I now pronounce you husband and husband. You may kiss your spouse.”

Without hesitation, they leaned in and met in a sweet kiss. They embraced, firm and reassuring. The applause that filled the barn was lost to them, so enraptured they were with one another. When their kiss finally ended, they found themselves surrounded by their close friends, being patted and congratulated. Max tugged at Daniel’s slacks, demanding to be picked up out of this sea of adults. Daniel scooped him right up and held him so he wasn’t trapped below everyone’s knees.

“ _Finally_!” Dexter tossed his arms around both David and Daniel, “Thought this day would never come! Congrats, guys! I’m so happy for ya!”

Jen pinched their cheeks playfully, “Look at my cute boys! Husbands! I’m so _proud_!” She stepped back and held up a camera, snapping several quick pictures. She ushered others away and made them pose in front of the flower alter. She got several pictures of the two of them, several with Max, and a few individual shots. When she was finally done, they were allowed to leave the stage.

There was a big cake waiting. They cut the first piece together, fed each other, sipped their wine, and finally everyone else could get a piece and eat. The newlyweds sat down with Preston and his grandmother. He and Max had patched things up, and were happily discussing the outfits and decor. When they were done eating, Preston grabbed Max’s hand and pulled him over to the dance floor.

Outside, the evening sun was slowly sinking. David and Daniel slipped away from the noise and headed outside. They walked around to the back of the barn for some privacy. They laced their fingers together, watching the sunset.

David’s head rested on Daniel’s shoulder, and Daniel’s head atop his. “We’re finally married,” David whispered, a smile spreading across his face.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Daniel said softly, “You and Max are my entire world. I’m so happy to finally be able to honestly call you my husband.”

“Me too….” David nuzzled his shoulder. “David Vandovear has a nice ring to it.”

“The most wonderful sound I’ve ever heard.”

The sun slowly disappeared and the rainbow of hues above them was eventually replaced by stars. A tapestry of them blanketed the sky. Daniel put an arm around David, keeping him close, and began pointing out constellations. David was smitten all over again. He didn’t even notice the tears sliding down his cheeks until Daniel suddenly stopped mid-sentence. “What’s wrong, baby?” He gently wiped a tear away.

David was smiling. He wiped his eyes. “Nothing. I was just thinking about the day we met. I think I fell for you when you were telling us all about the stars. I just can’t believe how far we’ve come in a year. I love you so much.”

Daniel smiled softly and wrapped both arms around him in a loose embrace. “I love you so much, David, and I always will. For all of eternity.”

“All of eternity,” David repeated. They kissed, soft and sweet and full of love and promises for the future.

When they eventually returned to the barn, they shared the last dance to their song. ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ played over the speakers as they slowly danced, all the while Daniel softly sang it to his husband. To his future.

Hours later, when Max was asleep and the house was silent, they laid together in a tangle of limbs. Daniel moved slowly, expertly angling his thrusts to keep David teetering right on the edge of orgasm. David clutched his back, panting and moaning and begging for release. When it was finally granted he quivered all over, and tears of pleasure eventually began rolling down his cheeks as Daniel’s thrusts kept pushing and prolonging orgasms. By the time Daniel finally came inside him, David’s body was so sensitive that just the sensation of Daniel’s cum filling him caused a final orgasm. 

They showered together, David barely standing on shaking legs, then finally settled into bed after a very long, incredibly amazing day. Tangled together, they slept soundly.

The next morning they left the compound, heading to the first summer camp of the season. Three months of the open road, some bloody good fun, and plenty of family time. They couldn’t ask for a better summer, or a better life.

As the gates closed behind them, David put his hand on Daniel’s leg, smiling at his husband. Daniel looked briefly away from the road to return the smile. David then looked in the backseat, where Max had already made himself a nest of pillows and blankets and was playing with his new Switch. “Do you want to stop in the next town for breakfast?” David asked him, though he knew the answer already.

“Fuck yeah,” Max replied, “I’d kill for some fuckin’ McDonald’s hashbrowns.”

David chuckled and looked at Daniel. “Would you also like some ‘fuckin’ McDonald’s hashbrowns,’ Danny?”

Daniel grinned, “I think I _would_ like some ‘fuckin’ McDonald’s hashbrowns,’ Davy. Maybe some fuckin’ McDonald’s pancakes too.”

“Fuuuuck you guys,” Max said.

His parents laughed. When things settled, David stared out the window and quietly watched the forest go by.

### 

TWO YEARS LATER

David let out a sigh as he put down the numerous grocery bags. He began unloading cans and boxes into the pantry, but didn't get very far. The back door slid open then shut, then footsteps were running through the living room.

“Daddy's hoooome!” Daniel slid into the kitchen and grabbed David around the waist with one arm, the other being preoccupied. He kissed his face and held him tight. 

David laughed. “Hey, baby.” He kissed Daniel's cheek, then reached for the bundle in his other arm. “Hiii Fe-Fe!” He cooed as he gently took the baby.

She giggled and squirmed, making happy noises at him. He placed quick kisses on her round cheeks, making her squeal in delight. She was a beautiful little baby. Blonde hair and big, blue eyes. A happy little accident between Jen and her boyfriend. They weren't interested in kids, but David and Daniel were more than happy to take her. Their precious little daughter.

“Felicity and I missed you soooo much.” Daniel hugged them.

“I was only gone an hour,” David chuckled.

“Well, it felt like an eternity!”

David rocked Felicity, dancing in slow circles as he did so, while Daniel put the groceries away. They headed into the backyard afterward. The grill was going, but steaks weren’t on it just yet. It was a very nice one with two racks. On the top were potatoes in foil, staying warm over the flames. 

The grass was lush and green and all evidence of the construction two summers ago was gone, leaving just a nice yard and a lovely treehouse. David put Felicity down in an enclosure of baby fence around a nice blanket. There were toys and pillows inside. She crawled over to a soft little elephant rattler. She shook it and laughed at the sound.

“Dad!” Max called from the treehouse. It was two stories, the bottom being a deck area that was accessible from a staircase. The top was askew from the lower area, also accessible by stairs, and was the actual house portion. Max was on the balcony of the upper story. “Can we eat in the treehouse?”

David and Daniel looked at one another. David shrugged. Daniel called up to him, “Yes, you can.”

“Sweet!” Max disappeared inside, where three other kids were waiting, Preston, Wanda, and Nurf. They had boardgames and magazines and a big, portable charging center to keep them occupied. May as well let them eat up there too.

David sat down at a quaint little table on the deck. “I always miss home so much over the summer. I know Max does too.”

“Me too… You want to take next summer off? Just stay here?” Daniel asked as he put the steaks on.

David hummed, watching his daughter play. “I think I do… I mean, we’d either have to leave Fe-Fe with a babysitter the whole time or take her, and… I just don’t want to do either of those things…”

“Agreed. Too risky bringing her, and I couldn’t stand not seeing her for three months. Plus, it’s getting harder and harder to get Max to pull his head out of Preston’s ass.”

David laughed at that. “Aww, they just like each other so much! You can’t blame him for not wanting to be away from his boyfriend for so long.”

Daniel kept an eye on the steaks while conversing. “No, I can’t. I’d like to take next summer off anyway. I’ve been going out every summer for… ugh, I don’t know how long. It would be nice to just spend it here. We could get one of those nice inflatable pools.”

“Oh, I’d love that!” David bounced in his seat. 

Daniel smiled affectionately. “I’ll get you one then. Whatever makes my husband happy.”

“Awwww!” David left his chair and hugged Daniel tightly. “You’re so good to me…”

Daniel embraced him, pressing a kiss to his temple. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” David relaxed, letting Daniel hold and rock him gently. He looked up at the treehouse, where his son was hanging out with friends, and over at his daughter chewing on one of her toys, and just took it all in… this perfect like he’d always wanted.

### 

The evening found them inside, David and Daniel laying on the couch together, while Max and Preston sat on the floor. Felicity was in Max’s lap, where she spent a great deal of her time. Max adored his little sister. The television had everyone’s attention. The finale for some runway fashion show was on.

“Cheryl has _got_ this! She _rocks_!” Preston proclaimed.

Max scoffed. “Are you fucking kidding me? Lance is clearly the best. His seams are always flawless and his color-coordination is spot-on.”

“You’re just saying that because you think he’s cuuuute!” Preston teased.

“No I don’t!! Shut the fuck up!”

The two men chuckled at the bickering teens. “I don’t think Lance is Max’s type,” Daniel said, “He likes tall, lanky boys. Don’t you, Maxy?”

Preston giggled and Max shot Daniel a glare. “Fuck you. I fucking hate all of you.”

Felicity babbled something. Max held her up at eye level. “Except for you, Felicity. You’re the only one around here I can _trust_.”

She giggled and reached for his face. He brought her forward and placed kisses on her cheeks, making her squeal and squirm.

The show wrapped up with Cheryl taking the win. Max’s shout of disapproval startled Felicity. She barely let out the start of a cry before Max was comforting her and apologizing. She was fine again in seconds, laughing and flailing her arms in delight. 

They switched the channel to cartoons, but no one was watching. Max and Preston played with Felicity in the floor, and her parents watched them with matching smiles. When bedtime finally rolled around, it was Max who carried Felicity upstairs to her room. The study had been converted into her own bedroom as soon as they’d heard about Jen’s pregnancy and were offered the future child. 

Despite growing a few inches in the last two years, Max still wasn’t tall enough to put her in her crib. He wished her goodnight and David was the one to tuck her in. They left her room once she was asleep and went their separate ways. Like most weekends, Preston stayed the night in Max’s room. In about three years, David figured he might have to be a little concerned about it, but for now they were still just kids. Teens, yes, but still kids.

Daniel climbed into the shower first, and David soon joined him. They washed off, chatting about errands they’d need to run this week. David was eager to start classes again. His students loved him, and he adored every one of them. Daniel was slightly less eager for Monday to arrive, since he had to head a meeting with the High Order on some new laws being discussed. Thankfully, the new members of the Order were more interested in the well-being of their people, rather than their own selfish agenda. That made things easier.

As David finished washing his hair, Daniel wrapped an arm around his waist and bit the back of his shoulder. David gasped and moaned. As soon as Daniel’s hand tightened around his neck, he knew what he was in for. He was shoved against the wall and taken from behind. The grip on his neck prevented him from making much noise and cut off most of his air. 

“You’re so tight,” Daniel panted in his ear. His thrusts were hard and quick, forcing David to orgasm fast. Daniel wasn’t far behind him. He finished inside, and when he pulled out his cum leaked out of David and down his legs. The warm water rinsed it away soon enough. Daniel hugged David close and kissed his face and neck. The aftercare had David practically purring in contentment. 

When they finally made it to bed they curled up together comfortably, spooning. Daniel placed soft kisses on David’s shoulders and neck. David hummed in appreciation. He took Daniel’s hand and toyed with his ring, smiling at the memories of their wedding day. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Daniel nuzzled him, then settled down.

“Sweet dreams.”

“My dreams are always sweet. You’re always in them.”

David giggled, charmed by his husband all over again, like he often was, and knew he would be for the rest of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you SO MUCH for reading, and for commenting and the fanart and kind messages! This has been a joy to write and I'm so happy that so many people loved reading it! 
> 
> I wish you the best, and I'll see you in the next fanfic! <3


End file.
